Post-#OscarsSoWhite reforms are just a tiny step in the right direction.

In 2015, the viral #OscarsSoWhite hashtag ignited an important conversation about representation in Hollywood and went on to become a watershed moment in popular culture[1].  Fast forward to 2021, there have been back-to-back years in which many acting nominees have been people of color (including this year, when Steven Yeun became the first Asian-American Best Actor nominee[2]), and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is gearing up to enact a sweeping set of reforms.

But questions remain – what exactly are these reforms, are they going far enough, and will they make a difference?  It may be some time before we can determine the answers.

Understanding the Academy’s reforms

To comprehend what the Academy is doing, it’s crucial to look at two areas – the makeup of the Academy’s voting membership and the forthcoming diversity requirements for talent in front of and behind the camera.

Voting Membership

Prior to the tenure of Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs, voting members were capped at around 6,000[3].  After she came on board in 2013, she announced plans to expand the group; those plans took on a greater sense of urgency after #OscarsSoWhite.  In 2021, there were 9,362 voting members – a sizable increase over years past – and this was the first year that new members (those invited after 2012) outnumbered old members. 

This demographic change resulted in a more diverse group of nominees, like Yeun, and winners, like Daniel Kaluuya, for his role in the biopic Judas and the Black Messiah.

Diversity Requirements

Beginning in 2024, films will only be eligible for nomination if they meet at least two of four diversity standards.  Those standards are split into four distinct categories[4]:

• Standard A – onscreen diversity: Films must have one actor from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group; a story centered on women, LGBTQ+ people, differently-abled people, or underrepresented racial or ethnic groups; or a cast in which at least 30% of talent is from the aforementioned groups.
• Standard B – offscreen diversity: Two or more department heads must be female, LGBTQ+, differently abled, or part of an underrepresented racial or ethnic group; a minimum of six crew members must be from a racial or ethnic minority; or at least 30% of the crew must come from the aforementioned groups.
• Standard C – industry diversity: Each film’s distribution or financing company must have at least two interns from minority groups; or the film’s production, distribution, or financing partners must offer employment opportunities to people from minority groups.
• Standard D – industry diversity: Some senior marketing, publicity, and distribution executives working on the film must identify as part of a minority group.

Are these reforms enough?

When it comes to the Academy’s anticipated reforms and the impact they may have, it’s possible that we’ll see positive change.  That is if we judge #OscarsSoWhite as a campaign that was solely focused on superficial diversity – in which numbers move but root causes aren’t addressed – these diversity requirements could certainly look like a win on paper.  The Academy is likely already pleased with the results generated from the voting membership changes alone.

But what isn’t being solved for are the underlying systems that allowed Hollywood to become so exclusionary in the first place.  It’s encouraging to see a more diverse group picking the nominees and, thus, diversifying the talent that graces the stage on the big night.  However, beyond enforcing a number and judging improvement by a set of statistics, the Academy – and the industry as a whole – must look for more effective ways to nurture diverse talent at all levels, remove barriers to entry, and work more aggressively to reshape industry attitudes about which stories it values.

Numbers alone won’t change implicit bias, and in that respect, the Academy still has a long way to go.

[1] Ugwu, Reggie. (September 9, 2020). The Hashtag That Changed the Oscars: An Oral History. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/06/movies/oscarssowhite-history.html

[2] Sharf, Zack. (March 15, 2021). Steven Yeun Just Became the First Asian-American Best Actor Nominee in Oscars History. Retrieved from: https://www.indiewire.com/2021/03/steven-yeun-oscars-nominate-first-asian-american-best-actor-1234622090/

[3] Wilkinson, Alissa. (March 16, 2021). The 2021 Oscar nominees set diversity records. The Academy’s massive growth is a key reason. Retrieved from: https://www.vox.com/22332389/oscars-academy-diversity-membership-2021

[4] Buchanan, Kyle. (September 9, 2020). The Oscars’ New Diversity Rules Are Sweeping but Safe. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/09/movies/oscars-best-picture-diversity.html