As a kid, watching awards shows was boring. I felt like the same people won every year and that each film said the same thing over and over.
As an adult, watching the awards show was infuriating. After the show was over, I did some research about the Golden Globes and its history.
Three important points to recognize from the 75th Golden Globes:
- There were no women in the category of “Best Director”
- There were no women in the category of “Best Original Screenplay”
- Oprah Winfrey was the twelfth woman to have won the Cecil B. DeMille Award out of the 66 years they have given out this award.
Why does this matter?
Women have grown exhausted of “just existing” in the film industry. I mean look at the proof –only four women have ever been nominated for best director, and only one of them succeeded in winning a Golden Globe.
And after its 75th year, the Golden Globes has rarely changed.
What does this say about America –or even the film industry itself? Do these “experts” have a bias?
It’s one thing if a movie directed by a woman simply wasn’t up to par with the others or wasn’t made well. But I’m starting to question how the “experts” pick the nominees. Are they given blank discs with no director names or cast and told “tell us what you think”? Are they stuffed in a room with ten other critics, each with their own thoughts, opinions, biases, which could affect the way other critics vote? These critics have gone blind to the masses, deaf to the crowds, who have been begging for change in the entertainment industry.
Each year since the turn of the century, we the people have been pressing for change, for something new, in Hollywood. We’ve pushed and pushed, gaining maybe a half inch. But we’re no longer pushing –now we’re shoving.
And we might be getting somewhere.
The fans and audience members aren’t the only ones shoving for change. Members of the entertainment industry are fighting back. Through the #TimesUp movement, famous actresses (and actors), writers, and many other entertainment superstars have stepped forward in support of their colleagues as well as everyday people who have been sexually harassed or sexually assaulted.
At the Golden Globes, the Red Carpet was draped in black –elegant, yet bold. Oozing support for the campaign, men and women walked the carpet with pride. To further enforce their statement, many members of the #TimesUp movement brought powerful women as their plus-one. If someone didn’t wear black, they looked like a fool, as if society were saying “get with the times already!”
Though the sole purpose of the campaign is to support those affected by sexual misconduct, I believe the #TimesUp campaign also brought about another important message.
The #TimesUp campaign has brought power back to women.
Looking at just the Golden Globes, you may not see it. By reflecting on the past few years, this change may be more noticeable. The #MeToo movement, the #AskHerMore movement of awards shows, and the Women’s March on Washington are just a few campaigns that sparked massive change for women and the industries they work in.
There’s no better time to be a confident, empowered woman.