As gendered awards have become more controversial in recent years, many awards shows have been doing away with them entirely. Typically, acting awards at the Primetime Emmy Awards and other shows are split by gender, such as awarding trophies to both a Best Actor and Best Actress. The issue that this presents to non-binary performers is that it leaves them feeling uncomfortable with accepting either award as they do not identify as either male or female. While many shows have since abolished the gendered awards, they’re still a thing at the Oscars and the Emmys.
Meanwhile, non-binary actors J. Harrison Ghee and Alex Newell recently won Tony Awards. That’s something thatYellowjacketsstarLiv Hewson, who is non-binary, loved to see. Hewson addressed the wins along with their thoughts on gendered awards in a new interview withTeen Vogue, further opening up after previously declaring thatthey wouldn’t be seeking Emmy consideration. Ultimately, Hewson says they just wouldn’t feel comfortable taking home a trophy that says “actress” on it, unwilling to play along with the emotional speech that would come with a potential win while holding such a trophy.
“My issue is so structural, I don’t think it would be honest for me to attempt to work within this system,” Hewson says. “Here’s what I thought about: Best-case scenario, career-wise, I, hypothetically, would be nominated for an Emmy, which would be an honor. Then the best-case scenario is that I would, hypothetically, win. And then I would go home with a trophy that says ‘actress’ on it. I don’t want that.”
Hewson continued, “Even if that happens, even if I were able to be on a stage like that and talk about being non-binary with the trophy in my hand, hypothetically, the dynamic at play isstillthat there’s a category for men and a category for women. You’re putting me in the woman one, giving me the best woman award, then I get onstage and thank you. I’m not going to do that.”
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Liv Hewson Wouldn’t Accept an Emmy
Hewson then went on to further speak about the frustration they have with how acting is theonlycategory at the Emmys that is gendered. As many awards shows have already done away with the gendered awards, Hewson feels that this proves it’s possible for the Emmys to follow suit.
“The bewilderment I have is that acting is the only category that’s separated by sex,” as Hewson says. “We take for granted that this is how the world should work, but gender-neutral awards exist in every category but this one. There are multiple ceremonies where they don’t exist at all, so it’s absolutely possible. Isn’t it a little bizarre that there’s one job that’s about men and women and the rest of them aren’t?”
As of now, no plans have been announced to drop thegendered awardsat the Primetime Emmy Awards. However, nominees for the acting categories can request for a more gender-neutral title of “Performer” to be displayed on their nomination certificate and statuette.
