Viola Davis won an Emmy for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Drama Series last night -- congratulations to her.
This is a big deal; Hollywood is known for being prejudice towards Black actors. They are not afforded the same opportunity as Whites. They don't win as many Oscars or Emmy awards as Whites. Davis knows this and said, "You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there."
In having saying that, when a person of color wins in a world of white supremacy, yes, it is a big deal.
More importantly, what makes this more of a deal is that Davis has become a rebel in Hollywood. In a world that defines beauty as having long, straight hair, and a lighter skin tone, Davis, a dark skinned woman, tends to wear her hair natural -- a coiled Afro. In 2016, she will be starring alongside Will Smith and Jared Leto in Suicide Squad and dons her Afro. In addition, Davis addressed the racial injustices that exist in Hollywood during her moment of glory -- donning her coiled Afro.
What does this mean for women of color in Hollywood? Has Davis redefined the image of Hollywood? Can Sisters go natural in Hollywood and still have leading roles? Has Viola Davis created an opportunity for women of color to feel confident and beautiful without assimilating into Hollywood's warped idea of beauty?
