Are the Oscars Racist?

Oscars Season™ is usually one of my favorite seasons. Or, well, it used to be until it became increasingly and obviously clear that no matter how intensely people of color excelled, it was never enough. Sounds about like society, right?

\First, let’s talk about where they got it right. Ruth Carter (Black Panther) for Costume Design? YES PLEASE. Not even debatable. Each piece seen in the movie was carefully crafted to combine traditional aspects of various African tribe\

“Shallow” for Original Song? DUH. Who the hell else would be worthy? Lady Gaga and Mark Ronson know how to make a hit- he helped produce and write her album Joanne, and “Shallow” was no different. (Yes, I stan. Sue me.)

But my celebration didn’t last too long. I noted the nominations were extremely.... Black. It wasn’t a surprise because Black media DOMINATED 2018. Okay technically we dominate every year, the white elite simply acknowledged it this time. Which is why I was so taken aback by seeing so many Black movies- but only if they fit a certain white lens. Now, I haven’t seen Green Book yet, but a movie about Jim Crow racism from a non-Southern white man’s point of view doesn’t rub me the right way.

Where is Blindspotting? Why didn’t Beale Street get more nominations? Brian Tyree Henry stole every scene Beale Street had him in. Did the YTs not think that was enough? Where is Ryan Coogler’s Best Director? Michael B. Jordan’s Supporting Actor? Does Sorry to Bother You not actually exist? Barry Jenkins for Best Director? Was Widows a figment of my imagination?

But let’s go further.

WHERE. IS. CRAZY RICH ASIANS???? It’s almost as if the 94% white voters in the Academy were desperately trying to get people to stop calling them racist. I mean, they can’t be racist, right? Look at all the Black movies and people on the list!!!

Except in touting how not anti-Black they are, they became anti-Asian.

Where is Awkwafina’s Supporting Actress nod? Constance Wu’s Leading Actress? Crazy Rich Asians for Best Picture, anyone? There can be up to ten possible Best Picture nominees. Why didn’t they get one? You can’t sit here and tell me Katherine Ho’s beautiful rendition of Coldplay’s “Yellow” IN MANDARIN didn’t have you weeping. If you can, you have no soul.

This movie highlighted various Asian cultures in the same way that Black Panther highlighted different African cultures. Each movie showed us that regional similarities doesn’t make each group the same. Crazy Rich Asians showed us there’s no one way to “be Asian” just like there’s no one way to “be Black” or “be African”. “Being Asian” isn’t a monolith. There is no broad stroke. Asia is a whole ass continent. Africa is a whole ass continent. If you try to paint every culture in a continent with a broad stroke, you need a geography class.

I know this seems like a long way to say that Crazy Rich Asians was snubbed... but Crazy Rich Asians was snubbed.

And I didn’t even discuss how the 77% male Academy pretends women don’t exist.

But I won’t lie, this year is pretty iconic.

* Hannah Beachler (Black Panther) is the first African American nominated for Best Production design. * Peter Ramsey (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) is the first African American nominated for Best Animated Feature. * Spike Lee has three nominations, making this the second time an African American had three nominations in one year. * Mahershala Ali gained his second ever Oscar nomination- the same category he won for Moonlight in 2016.

And more iconically:

* Yalitza Aparicio (Roma) is the first indigenous Mexican woman to be nominated for Best Actress. * Gabriela Rodriguez (Roma) is the first Latina nominated for Best Picture. * Marina de Tavira is the 7th Latina to ever be nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

I’m excited yet nervous to see how things play out. (So is Kaitlan. Rami Malek got a nomination for his work in Bohemian Rhapsody.) Hopefully we’ll see diversity grow Oscar Land in the future.

(This is Kaitlan stepping in to say that I stan Rami until the day I die and he better win the Oscar he goddamn deserves.)

P.S. Dear Academy, We don’t want your pity. Give us our damn nominations. Give us what we deserve. If you aren’t racist, prove it. Nominating all the “popular” movies starring Black people is a cop-out. *Big Sean voice* Lil bitch.

P.P.S. If people of color take all these dubs where they’re nominated, reparations better be next.