Actress Jamie Lee Curtis said Sunday night that making awards ceremonies gender-neutral would take opportunities away from women.
The 64-year-old actress won an Oscar for best supporting actress at the 2023 Academy Awards for her role in “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” marking Curtis’ first win at the prestigious ceremony. Curtis then spoke after the ceremony about the state of women in Hollywood.
The actress and mother of a transgender daughter said the experience of being one of 65 women nominated for an Academy Award made her feel “surreal” and “proud.”
Curtis added that she would like to see more women nominated and given opportunities in Hollywood in order to reach an equal balance of men and women being represented throughout the industry.
Jamie Lee Curtis on degendering acting categories at the #Oscars:
“The bigger question is how do you include everyone when there are binary choices, which is very difficult, and as the mother of a trans daughter, I completely understand that.” pic.twitter.com/CeaPYifvAG
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) March 13, 2023
“I think we’re getting there, [but] we’re not anywhere near there,” Curtis said.
“And, of course, the inclusivity, then, that involves the bigger question, which is, ‘How do you include everyone when there is binary choices?'” Curtis said.
“Which is very difficult, and as the mother of a trans daughter, I completely understand that. And yet, to de-gender the category, also, I’m concerned, will diminish the opportunities for more women, which is something I also have been working hard trying to promote,” she continued.
Adele shared similar sentiments to Curtis in her 2022 acceptance speech at the Brit Awards following the ceremony’s decision to make the Artist of the Year award gender-neutral.
“I understand why the name of this award has changed but I really love being a woman and being a female artist. I do. I’m really proud of us, I really, really am,” Adele said.