​​Bella Ramsey Calls For Nonbinary Acting Categories at Awards Shows

As it stands, most major awards shows (think the Oscars, Emmys, Tonys, and Golden Globes) split their lead acting honors into two categories: male and female. But in recent years, there’s been a call to end gendered categories and be more inclusive of nonbinary and gender non-conforming actors in the industry. Among the many celebrities to speak out on behalf of this movement is The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey.

In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Bella, who identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, opened up about the “uncomfortable” decision they had to make when submitting themselves for Emmys consideration.

“The categories at the moment feel extremely gendered with the language around them,” Bella told the outlet. Because they do not identify as male or female, they considered withdrawing from the running completely — just as Yellowjackets star Liv Hewson announced in April. But ultimately, Bella decided to enter the race as an actress.

“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 explained. “And it can open up a conversation about how it feels — as long as I’m aware of the fact that it’s not ideal, but also that finding alternatives is really complex.”

Looking ahead, Bella hopes that speaking out and sharing their experiences will help create change in the industry. “For [nonbinary and nonconforming people] to have a say and be part of those discussions and those conversations, that’s really important,” they said. “I just hope there’s more space for nonbinary people to be recognized within [future] categories.”

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