A nonbinary acting awards category? Bella Ramsey says they feel ‘weird’ about the idea
Jameela Jamil asked about gender inclusivity in acting awards over the weekend, so rising nonbinary actor Bella Ramsey took the opportunity to weigh in.
Jamil, who describes herself on Instagram as a “feminist-in-progress,” took to the social media site on Sunday, June 18, to ask if the best way to ensure equal treatment in Hollywood would be to “give non binary people their own category,” rather than allowing the industry “to completely shut out women.”
The actress is known for speaking out against sexism in Hollywood, diet culture and is a supporter of mental health, often via her podcast “I Weigh.”
People had a lot to say about the post, with some bashing her for the question and others praising her for opening up the conversation. Many said they preferred to hear gender nonconforming people’s thoughts on the topic instead.
Ramsey, the gender-fluid star from HBO’s “The Last of Us,” offered their thoughts in the comments.
“I feel weird about there being a whole new category,” Ramsey said, adding that they feel it’s more important to focus on inclusive language than categorization.
Ramsey suggested updating the existing categories to “‘Actress/Non-Binary Performer’ and ‘Actor/Non-Binary Performer’” so the performer can enter into the category they most identify with.
“It’s not a perfect solution, but that’s my take on it,” Ramsey said. “I think it’s more about making us feel seen and included rather than being categorised.”
Jamil later responded to “trolls” she said were spreading rumors that she and Ramsey were “feuding,” NME reported.
“To anyone who thinks myself and @bellaramsey are at odds, we are not, we are DMing really lovely messages and just discussing it together as everyone should because we are all in this together,” Jamil said in her Instagram stories, according to the outlet.
“They are lovely and wonderful and I love that they are saying what they think is best. It is so needed,” Jamil added, saying she would be happy to defer to “whoever is most qualified to make this decision” and that she was “just ASKING” — “not telling anyone what to do” in her initial post.
“We all want the same thing, equal opportunities for all,”she added. “We are all on the same side here. The side of love, and of men not sweeping allll the awards because the industry is still a little behind.”
Ramsey shared their comment on Jamil’s post to their Instagram story and tagged foundations that run acting awards, including the Academy Awards, Emmys, BAFTAs, Golden Globes, SAG Awards and the Critics’ Choice Awards, PopBuzz reported.
Ramsey entered into the Emmys actress category for their portrayal of Ellie Williams in “The Last of Us,” but they told Vanity Fair that wasn’t an easy decision and it made them “uncomfortable.”
After nonbinary “Yellowjackets” star Liv Hewson announced they would withdraw from the Emmys’ gendered competition altogether, Ramsey told the outlet they considered following suit.
“I don’t want the limitations in terms of language in the categories to be a reason that nonbinary actors like me can’t be celebrated,” Ramsey told Vanity Fair. “And it can open up a conversation about how it feels — as long as I’m aware of the fact that it’s not ideal, but also that finding alternatives is really complex.”
This story was originally published June 20, 2023 at 4:58 PM with the headline "A nonbinary acting awards category? Bella Ramsey says they feel ‘weird’ about the idea."
