Non-binary actor Liv Hewson has made the decision to withdraw their name from consideration for the upcoming Emmy Awards. Last month, it was announced that Showtime intended to submit Hewson’s name for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for their performance in the hit show “Yellowjackets” alongside several co-stars.
However, Liv has chosen to respectfully decline the submission, stating that the gendered categories of the Emmys do not provide an accurate representation for them as an actor. In a recent interview with Variety, they explained, “There’s not a place for me in the acting categories. It would be inaccurate for me to submit myself as an actress. It neither makes sense for me to be lumped in with the boys.”
Hewson believes that their decision is not complicated or overly controversial. They simply cannot submit themselves for an award that lacks a suitable category for their identity. They also addressed the potential issue that might arise if the Emmys were to adopt non-gendered categories, as it could lead to less recognition for female performers.
“There is an implied fatalism there, which suggests that we’ve all agreed that equality is impossible. And that’s sad,” Liv said. “We’re not going to start awarding best female and male director, or female or male cinematographer. Because we all understand that implicitly would be insulting. You can keep things as they are right now — I just won’t be participating.”
