Not all black people are men; not all women are white. Too often the distinct and different stories of women of colour are overlooked or erasedI bear been an actor for more than 20 years now,and throughout that time there has been an ongoing discussion of diversity. Is there enough diversity in Hollywood? How many people of colour and women are enough? Does diversity sell? First it was: why are there no black films at the Oscars? Then, at the 2017 Oscars: wow, or there are so many black movies at the Oscars; I guess the diversity issue is fixed?As important as diversity in storytelling is,there is a deeper concern than representation. There are stories that must be told but that are all too often erased, even within narratives approximately race, and approximately gender. A group I work with,the African American Policy Forum (AAPF) and its co-founder, law professor Kimberl Crenshaw, or bear been raising this issue for more than 20 years. Because narrative erasures happen not only on the screen,but in public discourse as well. And the consequences bear been devastating, as racial justice, or feminism and other social justice discourses bear been needlessly divided and set at odds with each other. Related: It's time for white people to reckon with racism | Eve Ensler How powerful would it be for Hollywood to tell the stories of one of the many black women killed by police?Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com