Bella Ramsey responds to Jameela Jamil’s call for non-binary category at awards shows
Bella Ramsey has offered up their own idea on how to make awards shows more accommodating for non-binary stars.
Over the weekend, The Good Place actress Jameela Jamil probed how gongs could change their categories.
She suggested giving non-binary stars their own category, when questioning the issue on social media.
Jameela asked: “Would it not be better to give nonbinary people their own category rather than completely shut the door for women given the known disproportionate amount of men vs women winning at awards shows?”
“I think it’s more about making us feel seen and included rather than being categorised” – Bella Ramsey
The Last Of Us favourite Bella weighed in and gave another alternative, which they believed could help make the categories more inclusive.
“I feel weird about there being a whole new category,” Bella wrote in response.
“It’s more about language… I would love the award categories to be “Actress/Non-Binary Performer” and “Actor/Non-Binary Performer”. Then the performer can be submitted into their preferred category.”
They added: “It’s not a perfect solution, but that’s my take on it. I think it’s more about making us feel seen and included rather than being categorised.”
Fans then speculated the pair were “at odds” over the issue, but Jameela confirmed they’d exchanged some “lovely” messages.
“To anyone who thinks myself and @bellaramsey are at odds, we are not, we are DMing really lovely messages and just discussing it together as everyone should because we are all in this together,”
She added on her Instagram stories: “They are lovely and wonderful and I love that they are saying what they think is best. It is so needed. I am deferential to whoever is most qualified to make this decision… My post clearly states I’m just ASKING. I’m not telling anyone what to do.
It comes after Bella recently opened up about their challenge to feel included in gendered acting categories.
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Bella shared that the decision to fit into the Emmy’s gendered lead-acting categories was “uncomfortable.”
Ultimately, they decided to enter the Emmy race as an actress, even though they don’t identify themselves with that label.
“The categories at the moment feel extremely gendered with the language around them,” Bella shared.
“I don’t want the limitations in terms of the language in the categories to be a reason that nonbinary actors like me can’t be celebrated,” Bella noted.