Posted on September 19, 2018

#OscarsSoWhite Founder Scolds TV and Emmys for ‘Not Doing Enough’ for Diversity

Maria Puente, USA Today, September 18, 2018

April Reign, the Twitter activist who created the #OscarsSoWhite campaign calling for more diversity in Hollywood, is not happy about Monday night’s Emmy Awards, asserting in a series of tweets Tuesday that TV is “not doing enough” despite the self-congratulatory tone of the awards show.

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“Last night, @TheEmmys Chairman/CEO Hayma Washington encouraged everyone to give themselves a round of applause for diversity. But… why?” she asked in her first tweet.

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Plus, it’s not just about black and white, she tweeted, adding a shout-out to James Corden joking on the show about “#EmmysSoWhite” after so many of the first awards –22 out of 26 – went to white performers, directors, writers and producers.

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“I also want to make clear to @theEmmys and anyone else who is under a mistaken impression, that “diversity” doesn’t just mean “more Blacks.” {snip}

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Reign asked: How many non-African-American people of color appeared on the Emmys stage? How many openly LGBT people or visibly disabled people? {snip}

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“Diversity is inviting everyone to the party.
Equity is making sure tickets are of a manageable price to everyone invited.
Inclusion is asking folks to dance.”

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Reign said she could remember only two Asian-American presenters and only two Hispanic presenters on the awards show.

“To tout ‘diversity’ improvements, when I can only remember two AAPI presenters (Constance Wu and Sandra Oh), to literally have a song & dance routine when I can only remember two Latinx presenters (Gina Rodriguez & Benicio Del Toro), seems to have missed @Theemmys mark,” she tweeted.

Aopril Reign