“I am a third gender, not male or female”… Reason for American actor's award refusal

"It’s a problem where you can’t choose just one of the two"

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seung-woo] An American musical actor has declared that he will not attend the Tony Awards ceremony. The reason is that he identifies as a non-binary actor, who is neither male nor female but a 'third gender.'

On the 2nd (local time), The New York Times (NYT) reported that actor Justin David Sullivan announced he will not attend the 76th Tony Awards held in June and will not accept a nomination either.

The Tony Awards are the most prestigious awards on Broadway in the United States. Along with the Emmy Awards, Grammy Awards, and Oscars, they are considered the 'Grand Slam of the American entertainment industry.' Sullivan played a major role in the Broadway musical '&Juliet' and was highly regarded as a strong contender to win a Tony Award.

However, Sullivan stated through his agency, "Being told to choose between male and female was very difficult for me," and added, "Supporting non-binary people is more important than acting on Broadway and receiving awards. Since I cannot choose just one of the two, I felt it was wrong to belong to either."

The 75th Tony Awards ceremony held in June last year
[Photo by AP Yonhap News]

He continued, "There is no other choice but to forgo the nomination," and "I hope this incident will lead to a renewed discussion not only about the Tony Awards but also across the industry. Society is changing, and all people with diverse gender identities should be respected."

In response, the Tony Awards organizing committee accepted Sullivan's opinion and excluded him from the list of actors eligible for nomination. The New York Times reported, "Whether to change the Tony Awards into a gender-neutral ceremony has been a topic of discussion among insiders for some time."

The Tony Awards organizers stated regarding Sullivan's decision, "We will be careful to ensure that no one is marginalized in the future based on their gender identity."

Last year, Asia Kate Dillon, who played the role of Malcolm in the musical 'Macbeth,' also refused the Tony Awards' gender-based categories.

In the popular music industry, the Grammy Awards, the most prestigious ceremony, have selected winners without gender distinction since 2012. Additionally, the Obie Awards, which target more experimental off-Broadway performances, also present awards without gender distinctions.