So, here’s a thing. Jada Pinkett Smith and Spike Lee are boycotting the Oscars.
Pinkett Smith started the campaign on twitter
At the Oscars…people of color are always welcomed to give out awards…even entertain, (pt. 1)
— Jada Pinkett Smith (@jadapsmith) January 16, 2016
But we are rarely recognized for our artistic accomplishments. Should people of color refrain from participating all together? (pt 2)
— Jada Pinkett Smith (@jadapsmith) January 16, 2016
People can only treat us in the way in which we allow. With much respect in the midst of deep disappointment. J (pt 3)
— Jada Pinkett Smith (@jadapsmith) January 16, 2016
Spike Lee posted this on his Instagram account earlier today:
How Is It Possible For The 2nd Consecutive Year All 20 Contenders Under The Actor Category Are White? And Let’s Not Even Get Into The Other Branches. 40 White Actors In 2 Years And No Flava At All. We Can’t Act?! WTF!! It’s No Coincidence I’m Writing This As We Celebrate The 30th Anniversary Of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday. Dr. King Said “There Comes A Time When One Must Take A Position That Is Neither Safe, Nor Politic, Nor Popular But He Must Take It Because Conscience Tells Him It’s Right”. For Too Many Years When The Oscars Nominations Are Revealed, My Office Phone Rings Off The Hook With The Media Asking Me My Opinion About The Lack Of African-Americans And This Year Was No Different. For Once, (Maybe) I Would Like The Media To Ask All The White Nominees And Studio Heads How They Feel About Another All White Ballot. If Someone Has Addressed This And I Missed It Then I Stand Mistaken.
Kudos obviously, and if the call for all people of colour to boycott takes off, there will, no doubt, be all kinds of press releases from the Academy about culture change inclusiveness moving forward blah blah blah.
But what would happen if the white nominees also answered the call? How would the Oscars proceed if Leonardo Di Caprio, Matt Damon, Jennifer Lawrence and Cate Blanchett also joined the boycott?
And if they don’t join it, why won’t they? They have all spoken out about various forms of discrimination – Lawrence on gender pay disparity, di Caprio on indigenous issues, Damon on global poverty, Blanchett on marriage equality – so it will be an interesting thing for them to explain implicit support of racism in America’s film industry by attending awards that so demonstrably perpetuate white privilege.
We’ve seen evidence here in Australia that people suffering discrimination and harassment are not fooled by empty rhetoric from leaders. And we know that people who have privilege are not going to just give it away (why would they?) change happens when minorities join together and insist on it.
Outside the Hollywood hothouse, what would happen if more people with opportunities not given outside the white, rich, educated male space took a stand?
What would happen if every man refused to speak on a panel that didn’t include women?
What would happen if every male board member refused to serve unless more women and minorities were hired?
What would happen if every world leader insisted on genuine representation across their government?
Or, if we wanted to get really radical, what would happen if every man in Australia published their income to their entire organisation and insisted that women at the same level were paid the same amount?
What would happen if every man took to their keyboards in outrage over male violence against women the way they did over what they perceived as non-white male violence against women?
We’ll probably never know the answers to those questions, but perhaps it’s something for men who position themselves as progressive to think about. In any given situation, you might be the first person to stand in support of women and minorities, but you almost certainly won’t be the only one. And that is how allies make a difference.
UPDATE (with added *uh-huh*):
A statement from Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs pic.twitter.com/Nqhgc7sbqG
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) January 19, 2016
Michael Moore says he is “happy to join the boycott“