The Oscars are a media event. This term refers to events that are organized with the intention of generating media attention. The absolute winner of this year was singer and actor Billy Porter, who stole the show on the red carpet with his tuxedo gown.
The Oscars were awarded for the first time in 1929 and were a deliberate way to create a connection with the public by promoting the emerging stardom. A film, that was and is the idea, is easier to sell if it includes a star that already has name recognition. Studios didn't have to promote the story with every film, but people went to the cinema for the latest Jean Harlow, Bette Davis or Claudette Colbert.
If you want attention, you have to go full pageant. The spectacle is therefore crucial. The red carpet attracts at least as much attention as the prices. The dresses of the actresses are discussed in detail, a striking picture can positively promote your career. Even men are now being discussed at length, but they have considerably less opportunities to shine. Although there were already previous outfits that diverged from these traditional gender roles, the tuxedo gown of Porter is truly groundbreaking.
Genderqueerness
First of all, there is the garment itself. Half tuxedo, half dress - half male, half female. One part transitions seamlessly into another and is thus a symbol of genderqueerness - the outfit is neither masculine nor feminine.
Now genderqueer is not new in the fashion industry, but most of the time it results in androgynous clothing that is actually 'just' unisex. A blue hoodie fits all of us. Often it is clothing that conceals: gender becomes so unrecognizable. Porters' dress does not remove gender codes, but plays with them. It is an example of gender trouble, the title of the seminal book of Judith Butler, a well-known gender theorist.
Butler was inspired by the ballroom scene, an LGBTQ subculture (If you want to know more about this, the documentary Paris is burning is an absolute must). The design of Christian Siriano is a tribute to one of the heroes of the ballroom, Hector Xtravaganza. That is no coincidence. The 49-year-old Porter plays one of the leading roles in Pose, a drama series about the ballroom culture of New York in the late 80's.
Porters' appearance is not just a representation of genderqueerness on the red carpet. He also draws attention to his person and with that his work. Thanks to the tuxedo dress, more people will watch the series and become familiar with ballroom and the other themes of Pose, such as the scandalous treatment of people with HIV and AIDS.
Invisibility means vulnerability
Representation of marginalized groups makes visible and that is vitally important. Invisibility means vulnerability - for (police) violence and social exclusion, for example. The suicide rates among LGBT youth are still many times higher than among non-LGBT youth. Seeing yourself in popular culture is important for identity formation and self-acceptance. It is a sign that you are allowed to be here, that you are seen and thus acknowledged.
The Pose series does more than just represent such characters. We also actually see queer and transgender people at work. That is radical: almost always transgender characters are played by cisgender actors, who get a lot of praise for that. Apparently it is seen as a very special acting achievement to play the role of someone with a different gender orientation - see Jared Leto who won an Oscar in 2014 for his rendition of a transwoman at Dallas Buyers Club.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that the Oscars presents is a very conservative club. The emancipation of queer and transgender people is not on their agenda. But fortunately the attention machine that goes around the Oscars isn't controllable. The tuxedo gown of Billy Porter will be discussed for years, and will pave the way for young people for whom this was a life changing moment, in Hollywood and everywhere. I already look forward to their acceptance speeches.