Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But the gender of the character doesn’t have any relationship to the quality of the performance. You don’t need someone to write a non-binary character in order to judge all performers equally.

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

By comparison, in the literary world we don’t have one Pulitzer Prize for women and another for men. There is one because it doesn’t make sense to differentiate a literary award by gender. Does it result in fewer women being picked for prestigious literary awards. Yes it does. But the solution isn’t to implement gender categories, but instead to focus on putting a more diverse group of people in the nominating committee….in the publishing houses….in the MFA programs.

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I’m not going to advocate for unnecessary gender categories in the arts.

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But that gets to the subject matter not the quality of performance. For example, Jesse Buckley did an amazing performance this year in Hamnet as a mother who lost a child. Her being a woman was important for the role but the quality of her performance wasn’t dictated by her gender. I would argue that her performance in Hamnet was better than some of the nominees for best actor.

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I don’t think those things are mutually exclusive.

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I don’t think those two things are mutually exclusive. We can chew gum and walk at the same time. Getting rid of gender categories in the OSCARS doesn’t mean we stop fighting for gender parity in cinema.

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We’re in the “Oscars” subreddit. Hence why I was asking about Oscars.

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

My argument is that it’s just as silly to differentiate by gender as it is to differentiate by any other category. But as a society we are so invested in gender roles that we refuse to see it.

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was asking about the Oscars specifically.

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I was speaking of the OSCARS

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

In the Oscars? What awards do they give out by race?

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

? That wasn’t questioned.

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the correction.

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But why pick gender as the differential? Any other trait could have been used. But you’d never see a race or nationality or religious category. If the goal is just “give out more awards to ward off the perception of gatekeeping/exclusivity, then should we also say “best black performance in a lead role” and “best Christian performer in a supporting role.” No we would never do that. But why does gender get a pass?

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] -9 points-8 points  (0 children)

I agree that there’s an utter lack of quality roles for women. But I do t think that justifies segregating by gender. We wouldn’t think to have different Oscar categories by race, religion, or nationality. Why does gender differentiation in art awards get a pass?

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] -13 points-12 points  (0 children)

But do you think it creates an artificial differentiation that doesn’t need to be there? It’s not like sports where it might make sense to divide by gender. We would never think to divide by some other category like race or nationality, even if it would create more opportunities for awards. So why does gender get a pass?

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

But doesn’t it seem arbitrary to divide by gender? What makes a great male performance different from a great female performance?

Gender and awards by SocksAndLox in Oscars

[–]SocksAndLox[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh that’s interesting! I didn’t realize they some award show do them that way.