The Golden Globes has a whiteness problem, and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) is here to change it.
According to Variety, the HFPA — the governing body behind the popular awards — has announced that it’s unveiled a series of reforms designed to combat the diversity issue that is clearly plaguing their organization.
In addition to addressing the diversity issue, the new Golden Globes reforms put limits on the gifts its voters can accept and the payment they receive for their work on committees.
As of this writing, the HFPA has less than 90 members. Under the new proposed reforms, the HFPA will add 20 more members to their committee, with a commitment to specifically target and admit Black members.
But there’s a bit of a fly in the ointment of these sweeping new proposals: they won’t be passed unless they’re met with the unanimous approval of the current, sitting committee. And there’s some concern that given the tone-deafness of the current HFPA, these proposals could be dead on arrival.
In order to make these proposals feasible, the Golden Globes committee says it’s not averse to having some key current committee members resigning from their positions. But it’s unclear when these proposals would be submitted for approval.
“These past few months have been difficult for us all, and we appreciate your understanding and patience through this transformative period in our industry. For the past 60 days we have worked hard to come up with a plan of action — culling ideas from the members as well as outside entities — to present a cohesive, comprehensive proposal,” the HFPA’s board wrote in a letter to Variety announcing the changes. “We have engaged in much-needed, deep introspection with the help and guidance of our outside advisors, experts in diversity and inclusion, and our media partners. Together, we have created a roadmap for transformational change in our organization.”
