Earlier, we published a full list of the Oscar 2020 nominees. Somehow, there’s been a lot of hype surrounding this list on social media. Concerned people decided that there was no racial or gender diversity among the nominees: there were only male candidates for the Academy Award for the Best Director, and there was only one non-white actress, Cynthia Erivo, nominated for the Oscar statuette for the Best Actress. Twitter became flooded with posts claiming that the Oscars is too male and too white.
No women directors. All white supporting actress! Where is Awkwafina, JLo, Shuzhen Zhao? Where is Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Lupita, Beyoncé? Queen and Slim, Farewell? So predictable choices very disappointed . #OscarNoms
— Constantinos Isaias (@Isaiasthoughts) January 13, 2020
#OscarsSoWhite pic.twitter.com/1CwE15Fskq
One Black acting nominee ... despite a plethora of chances to reward so many amazing performances from Black, Latinx and Asian actors this year. One nominee doesn't excuse this #OscarsSoWhite lineup.
— 𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚌 𝚙𝚒𝚡𝚒𝚎 𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕 (@mathewrodriguez) January 13, 2020
It must have been the devil’s prompting that caused the Master of Horror to comment on this situation:
As a writer, I am allowed to nominate in just 3 categories: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Screenplay. For me, the diversity issue--as it applies to individual actors and directors, anyway--did not come up. That said...
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 14, 2020
...I would never consider diversity in matters of art. Only quality. It seems to me that to do otherwise would be wrong.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 14, 2020
Many commentators did not approve of King’s opinion and decided that one cannot understand the difficulties of women and people of color through the prism of a privileged position as a white European man.
You're a very smart person ans one of my favourite writers, but you must acknowledge you've had an easier path in your career than a woman or POC, right?
— Faron Gidge 📷 (@FaronGidge) January 14, 2020
White men disproportionately reward other white men, regardless of quality.
Every writer of color reading this, including me, has had to work ten times harder to get the same recognition/opportunities straight white male authors get from the start. Same goes for women, LGBTQIA writers, & other underrepresented voices. Diversity matters. It matters a lot.
— Gabino Iglesias (@Gabino_Iglesias) January 14, 2020
As a fan, this is painful to read from you. It implies that diversity and quality cannot be synonymous. They are not separate things. Quality is everywhere but most industries only believe in quality from one demographic. And now, here you are.
— roxane gay (@rgay) January 14, 2020
And yet King found associates who considered that the writer’s words were clearly misunderstood and that he simply wanted to explain that films should be judged regardless of who created them.
OKAY THEN I as a Mexican American will say that films should be Quality over Diversity.
— LetsComplain (@CharlesComplain) January 14, 2020
As a woman, I find this idiotic. I am just as capable as a male writer. I don't need people like you to pander to me and give me special treatment. I can succeed on my own, as can people of color. And if a man writes a better book than me, then he should win the awards. Simple.
— Cassie Beebe (@CassTeaElle) January 15, 2020
The criticism of the celebrity did not stop, and Stephen decided to end the kerfuffle over this situation.
The most important thing we can do as artists and creative people is make sure everyone has the same fair shot, regardless of sex, color, or orientation. Right now such people are badly under-represented, and not only in the arts.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 14, 2020
You can't win awards if you're shut out of the game.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 14, 2020
You know, “we always try and do good, but it always turns out to be entirely wrong” is precisely about the person this article is about. Even after this statement, commentators remained dissatisfied. This time, by the fact that King simply changed his mind to please the disgruntled.
Earlier you said it shouldn't matter....
— 5..6..7..8..Pounce! (@OnPointe28) January 14, 2020
Creativity should stand on it's own.
Make up your mind. 🙄
Whose side are you on?
