Finally, a healthy countereffect from the business. The situation has become untenable.
The reality of casting is that black people are overrepresented at the moment. I'm not critiquing that given in itself. Because things like this can happen in a project. For example when the most talented or suitable people for a role happen to be black. No issues with that scenario.
What I find problematic is that what I described above is not the reason for this overrepresentation. Therefore it feels unfair, unhealthy and forced. Not to me, but especially to other races, such as Asian people. Whenever there is a casting project of, let's say 3 people. They put at least 1 mandatory black person in nowadays. I see it in every project, pilot, series, movie, show, reading, commercial. The percentage of that is out of balance, not only population wise, but also compared to for example Asian people. It's completely out of balance. That's not healthy. That is focusing on race too much in a negative way.
Especially in the past few years casting directors and award show judges seemed extremely sensitive and impressionable about this attacks. They were accused of being racist when not casting a black person in a project of 3 people or not giving awards to a black person. They were basically forced to cast on race in the wrong way. Frantically casting black people in everything to avoid criticism and falsely look diverse. It could very well be that casting directors and award show judges are beginning to get tired of this overrepresentation and are aiming for true diversity. To some people there can never be enough representation of the race of choice, but that is not what diversity is about. Especially if the numbers have already far exceeded the percentages, it should always be an insult if someone gets or doesn't get a role or award based on race. That goes for both the negative and positive intentions, It's always bad.
If you insist on color counting, then do it both ways. Because the question is: How much out of balance is enough?
Now, some people are clearly not intelligent enough to be content with a healthy balance, or don't understand what equality actually means. As long as you crave an unhealthy balance to get "even", you are part of the problem.
You can choose to play the victim role forever and try to take more than is fair, or you can think in actual solutions. It's clear that I don't think the solution lies in doing the same thing in return, with privileges for certain races now and silencing others. In my opinion there is a fair way. In order to stop sordid debates such as this one The State should:
Draw up a census establishing the exact ethnic mix of the population.
Update it annually.
Legislate so that all opportunities and vacancies in all professions and occupations (in the public and private sectors) are filled in strictly proportional ratios. Not excluding the entertainment and sports industries. Enforce the same laws on business ownership in every city, town and village.
In this way real and perceived discrimination, unfairness and prejudice would be eliminated. Although of course, being the complete opposite of colour-blindness, it would entrench forever the idea that people deserve to be treated differently due to their colour. But the same vision is present now in certain camps anyway.
This way there would be no more overrepresentation of black people in casting, and also no more underrepresentation. There would be no more overrepresentation of white people in casting, but also no underrepresentation. One could argue that anyone who is against this plan has a double agenda or does not want equality.
In reality this would mean less overrepresentation of black actors at the moment. Creating a healthier situation. So basically what Gemma Hamilton is saying is true. The current situation is unfair and it stinks and it should not be accepted. Saying "white people" should accept this unfairness is like saying "black people" should accept unfairness too. You can't just promote unfairness when it suits you. That's racist.
Updated On: 5/8/18 at 05:45 PM
