BIFA Goes Gender Neutral: Understanding The Significance Of Breaking Binaries

British Independent Film Awards, BIFA has gone gender neutral for acting categories which marks an important step towards inclusion in cinema and awards. The awards that were earlier divided into actor and actress categories will no be referred as 'lead' with no gender bounds.

BIFA announced on July 5, 2022 that for the 2022 award ceremony, the acting categories will be made gender neutral. Hence instead of the traditional best lead actor, best lead actress, best supporting actor and best supporting actress, the awards will be titled as best leading performance, best supporting performance and best joint lead performance. The decision is an important towards promoting inclusiveness in the award show and not making artists choose between the two identities.

BIFA Goes Gender Neutral: It's Significance In Modern Cinema

As the world progresses, it is important to adapt to the various identities that people are adopting other than the traditional male and female. We have artists that identify themselves as trans, queer, gay, lesbian, binary, non-binary, bisexual and asexual and such artists find it hard to fit into categories like 'best actor in lead role' and 'best actress in lead role'. Gender neutral awards ensures that such artists are included equally in award nominations and they get the honour they deserve for their work.

Additionally, it is high time we celebrate art like music, movies and dance as gender neutral. Art has no defined form, no gender, no bounds and that's what connects millions of people equally around the world. People find acceptance and equality in art and it is important that we keep it intact. Dividing artistic performances based on gender is unfair for artists that put their heart and soul into creating it.

BIFA is not the first award association to make nominations gender neutral. In 1997, Television Critics Association Awards were made gender neutral. Whether or not it was first, it was definitely awakening. In 2012 Grammy's, in 2017 MTV Video Music Awards, in 2021 Gotham Awards, Emmy Awards and Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards and earlier this year BRIT Awards decided to ditch the binary gender identification and go for gender neutral terms to address the nominees.

The decision is important for making art and cinema as truly equal. There is a point that we must not ignore here that creating gender neutral categories might lead to female discrimination and giving more nominations to men. However, it is important to finally exercise the equality that we have long been asking for.

We need equal and unbiased opportunity of receiving honours. Just changing labels won't change anything, the awards will truly be inclusive when the concerned authorities include each and every deserving performance.

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