Golden Globes 2021: Hollywood celebrities slam HFPA for no black voting members in team

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the 78th Golden Globes Awards took place on Sunday, with celebrities tuning in from their homes. While the awards were celebrated with an outpour of love and support by fans, many celebrities, however, slammed the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) for the lack of diversity in people who are part of the voting members. It is worth noting that there are zero Black voters among the HFPA members for this award and Times’s Up was the first to point that out of 87 journalists who vote for the Golden Globes, not even one of them is Black. 

As Amy Poehler and Tina Fey kicked off the ceremony, they took a sly dig at the HFPA for no Black voting members in the group. Hollywood celebrities including Jennifer Aniston, Sterling K Brown, Ava DuVernay and others also shared the Times Up image and said that “HFPA needs to change in meaningful ways”. Sterling K Brown, who was a presenter at this year’s Golden Globes, also shared a lengthy statement and said that voting representation illustrates a “level of irresponsibility” that should not be ignored. 

Brown said, “With the power you have HFPA, you simultaneously hold a responsibility to ensure your constituency is fully reflective of the world in which we live. When you know better, you must do better. And having a multitude of Black presenters does not absolve you of your lack of diversity. This is your moment to do the right thing. It is my hope that you will”.

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HFPA vows to diversify 

Meanwhile, the HFPA has already released a statement and said that they are committed to bringing in Black members and members from other underrepresented backgrounds. During the event, the leaders of the organisation vowed to diversify its ranks but laid out no specifics as to how its organisation would evolve. Helen Hoehne, the HFPA’s vice president said that just like in film and television, representation is vital and therefore, the organisation must have Black journalists. 

Meher Tatna, a former president of the organization, added that the HFPA “must also ensure everyone from all underrepresented communities gets a seat at our table, and we are going to make that happen”. 

“That means creating an environment where diverse membership is the norm and not the exception,” concluded current president Ali Sar, noting that the group looks forward “to a more inclusive future”.

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