For the second year in a row, the transgender actresses on FX’s Pose have been shut out of Emmy contention. While the show did receive 5 Emmy nominations, including another nod for Billy Porter‘s portrayal of Pray Tell in the Lead Actor in a Drama Series, fans and cast were disheartened in the lack of trans representation once again. Dyllón Burnside, who labels himself as a queer Black man, plays the role of Ricky in Pose, spoke to HollywoodLife about his reaction to the Emmy snub for his trans co-stars.
“It’s a complex conversation. First and foremost, I congratulate my Billy Porter — my co-star I am supremely proud of and great to the Television Academy to recognize him, and also our costume, make-up and hair departments,” Dyllón began. “I think the outcry we’ve heard from the public who is disappointed in the nominations as they stand is because this show has done so much to create a space for fans and create visibility for trans and femme folks. And, to the folks that those causes are important to, myself included, it feels like a personal slight.”
He continued, “Awards are not the thing that drives my cast mates and I. But, these types of things are important in how the careers of trans folks are able to move beyond this job and it makes a big difference in pay. It affects the way different studios value the work that black and brown, queer and trans folks bring to their shows, their films and their stages.”
A few of Dyllón’s co-stars spoke out about the slight after nominations were announced on July 29. “I didn’t invent the Academy or any of the award shows,” Indya Moore, who plays Angel, tweeted. “If they think my work is unworthy Chile that’s just that… Imagine if we depended on cis ppl to validate anything about us.”
Angelica Ross, who plays Candy on Pose shared an emotional video on her Instagram, in which she, like Dyllón, expanded on the cultural and societal impact of the exclusion of trans nominees. “Ultimately, I need you to understand that I am so tired,” she said to her fans. “Because those of you that know me know that I’m not just working in front of the screen or behind the lens or whatever. I’m working around the clock to get our society to value trans lives and Black trans lives. And listen, I feel what I feel because I feel like there is nothing we can do.”
to be acknowledged. Although I have my grievences with every institution (not just the award shows) I am ultimately grateful to see the brilliant work of my community, celebrated by the @televisionacad. I look forward to the evolution of representation and the continual
— I.M (@IndyaMoore) July 30, 2020
Dyllón concluded by urging all fans and eligible voters to do the singular most important thing that they can do to help change the injustices we see happening daily against the LGBTQ+ communities as well as minorities and the Black community, and that is vote. “We have to penalize folks of bigotry, and that starts with start firing, arresting and charging police officers who are killing unarmed folks for no reason other than the color of their skin. That starts with electing public officials who uphold the values of what this country was built upon, and so it means that we need to get out and vote in November,” he said. “That’s where it starts, that’s not where it ends.”
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