By CIARA MCGARRY
In recent years, due to rising popular support of gay rights and the intrinsically left-leaning nature of the film industry, queer characters in films have been more prevalent than ever. This may seem to be a celebratory statement; however, it is, in fact, a gross distortion of the capitalist scheme to exploit queer struggles under the guise of positive representation, while refusing to actively combat inequality in real life. Objectively speaking, Hollywood monetizes and capitalizes on minority struggles.
Oscar-nominated films have seemingly become more queer-friendly than ever. In 2019, Rami Malek, Olivia Colman, and Mahershala Ali were awarded Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actor for their portrayals of queer characters in Bohemian Rhapsody, The Favourite, and Green Book respectively. These films follow the lives of historically significant queer people, all of whom are represented by a straight actor. Queer actors playing queer roles is important, as it allows for more accurate, meaningful portrayal, but also provides young queer kids with rolemodels that truly represent them, both on and offscreen. When the film industry chooses to only cast straight actors to play queer roles, it robs young queer kids of the right to be represented in an impactful, positive way.
Some would argue that the more representation the better, whether or not straight actors are playing queer roles; however, an increase in queer representation in film is not necessarily positive. Often, the portrayal thereof is stereotypical and hurtful. For example, William Hurt, Hilary Swank, and Jared Leto, all of whom are cisgender, won Oscars for their roles as transgender characters in 1986, 2000, and 2014 respectively. It is important to note that Hurt and Leto are cisgender men who played transwomen, while Swank is a cisgender woman who played a transman. The choice to award men for playing transwomen and vice versa is explicitly transphobic as it suggests to the audience that transgender people are not truly the gender that they identify as, but instead depicts them as crossdressers who don wigs, makeup, and costumes to play a role.
The decision to award a straight, cis actor for the depiction of a queer role is not an uncommon one; since 1986, exactly fourteen actors and actress have won Academy Awards for their portrayal of queer characters. All fourteen of said actors have been straight and cisgender. Not a single queer actor has won an Oscar for playing a queer character. In fact, not a single openly queer person has ever won an Oscar in any acting category ever.
While it is true that queer actors are underrepresented in the mainstream film industry as a whole, it seems as though the Oscars are purposefully ignoring queer talent. For example, Mya Taylor, a transgender actress, stars as the protagonist in the film Tangerine (2015). She did not receive a nomination for Best Actress at the Oscars, but won similar acting awards at other well-regarded award ceremonies, such as the Independent Spirit Awards. This suggests that the Oscars could be pointedly overlooking queer actors and actresses and are instead rewarding their heterosexual, cisgender counterparts.
In February of 2020 we watched another year of Oscar awards go by with four straight, cis actors once again honoured with some of the most prestigious prizes in their profession. Many actors claim that sexual orientation and gender identity should not be taken into consideration during casting decisions, as acting, in its most basic form, is indeed the art of ‘faking it.’ However, the issue here lies in the lack of role models for marginalized, vulnerable queer youth.
Positive media representation is crucial in the ongoing fight to normalize the existence of queer people. It serves to promote the acceptance of all sexual orientations and gender identities; however, real-life role models are arguably even more influential. They give queer youth someone to look up to and relate to, and act as non-fictional representation of queer talent. By awarding straight, cisgender actors for their portrayals of LGBTQ+ characters, the Oscars are not only robbing queer youth of this privilege, but adhere to discriminatory practices when they exclusively recognize heterosexual, cisgender actors, who often portray queer characters in ways that perpetuate hurtful stereotypes.
The Oscars continue to put up a front of false support for the queer community. Since we cannot rely on Hollywood to support queer actors and entertainers, it up to us, as consumers, to do so. From singers to actors to drag queens, entertainers have always been the pillars of the LGBTQ+ community, and when mainstream media chooses to ignore them, it is our job to speak out against their erasure from the big screen.