Daytime Emmy Awards Eliminates Gender Distinction From Outstanding Younger Performer Category
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The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) is all set to open the doors for entries for the 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards as well as “What’s New In Daytime” on October 31 — but they are making some changes.
As gender identity becomes an ever-larger part of the conversation about inclusion, representation and diversity, the category of Outstanding Younger Performer in a Drama Series will replace the Younger Actor and Younger Actress categories, eliminating gender distinction from the nominations, Deadline has learned.
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In addition, performers eligible in all Daytime Emmy acting categories will be encouraged to enter the category they feel best fits their gender identity. The Daytime Emmys will honor those category selections.
The changes come at a time when gender identity is being examined in the award show space. In 2017, the MTV Video Music Awards went gender-neutral with all their categories (and changed its “Moon Man” trophy to “Moon Person”). The MTV Movie and TV Awards also did away with gender designations.
In 2018, Billions actor Asia Kate Dillon, who identifies as non-binary and plays a non-binary character on the Showtime series, questioned the Television Academy’s gender-specific categories. They felt that there was not a space for them as a non-binary individual.
In other rule changes, Deadline has learned that the six craft categories previously exclusive to Broadcast Dramas will now include entrants from Digital Dramas.
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