It’s a vote to change Academy membership, its governing bodies, and its voting members.
It’s interesting to see the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences try to diversify itself – it’s even more interesting to read that it’s going to take “until 2020” to do so.
Here’s what happened: on Thursday night, there was a vote by its Board of Governors to change the landscape. This includes changes to the membership, the governing bodies, and the voting members. What that means for The Academy is it’ll be seeing double the number of women and diverse members it includes by 2020.
Later this year, members’ voting statuses will now last just ten years, but it can be renewed if he or she has been active in motion pictures during that decade.
In a statement by Academy President, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, she says The Academy wants to “lead and not wait for the industry to catch up.”
There are also going to be three new governor seats, to be nominated by the President for three-year terms. Those seats are aimed to immediately increase diversity.
Here’s what some are saying about the announced changes:
Great move by the Academy, but don’t start nominating for the sake of diversity. Make sure it goes to the best performances whoever they are
— Trevor Wood (@Cool_Guyer) January 22, 2016
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We now have to get Hollywood to stop being so white. But a diverse academy can demand that, & naturally make that an inevitable shift. IMO
— Darling Nikki (@nkisaid) January 22, 2016
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Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Make it 2017. https://t.co/HiW99CcbE9
— hipmum29 (@hipmum29) January 22, 2016
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