Why I Refuse to Boycott the 2016 Oscars
January 17, 2016 by Dr. Letitia Wright
Filed under Featured Articles, Front Page
I understand. I do. It’s crazy to think that in 2016, the members of the academy could not find any people of color doing great work in the movies. Yes, it needs to be addressed, but the things people are asking doesn’t make sense. And won’t help the cause. So far these are the only solutions I have seen proposed.
1. Telling Actors of color to NOT go the awards: Um, you don’t get to tell people what to do about THEIR JOB. It’s like asking someone to blow of the company picnic. Yeah, you could not go but everyone will KNOW you didn’t go. Plus they might not get invited again to the Oscars if they don’t show up. It’s an industry event they need to go to help remind the academy that they do matter. Listen, boycott your job events and tell me how it works out for you.
2. Telling people not to watch: Most people are not Neilsen families, so what you watch doesn’t impact the ratings. Also, you forget the Black HOST Chris Rock and the BLACK director Reggie Hudlin are going to get flack for that. People are going to assume they did a bad job, and I think it’s wrong. They would be easy targets if the academy wanted to “go there”. I don’t want to be responsible for hurting someone’s chances are getting the job again next year. The fact that there is a Black host and a black director is progress in my eyes. If you want to make a real impact, boycott the sponsors. Tell them you won’t buy their products because they didn’t speak out about this issue. African Americans have $1.1 Trillion dollars in buying power. It’s Martin Luther King Weekend; I can’t believe no one has thought of this yet. The answer is right in your face, and you’re off all weekend to think about it.
3. Get all excited about the Soul Train Awards and other ethnic award shows: NOW, you’re going support those shows? So, you didn’t care all these years, but now the Oscars isn’t playing far, you want to pump up other shows. Guess what, you can support all the award shows no matter what is going on. Does boycotting the Oscars mean, as soon as you see some change, you will abandon the Hoodie Awards? There is enough for everyone; it’s not either or ( to me).
I appreciate that the president of the academy said, they need to do better. It doesn’t help this year, but the first step to change is recognizing you have a problem. The first black woman won an Oscar in 1940 and then we didn’t see the best actress win until 2001. I know, it’s not as fast as it should be, but it’s moving. If you are still going to the movie theater and paying for one movie and sneaking into the “black movie” for free, you’re part of the problem.
- Just to be clear, I was not invited to the Oscars. And I will watch it on TV.