How industry awards are changing to be inclusive of trans and non-binary talent

It’s every aspiring performer’s dream: getting up on stage, being handed a golden statuette, and offering a charming, clever — but humbled — acceptance speech.

But for performers who don’t comfortably fit into “male” or “female” awards categories, the submission and nomination process can be a challenging experience.

“It’s very difficult, if I’m honest,” said Heath Salazar, an award-winning Toronto-based performer who is non-binary, meaning they do not exclusively identify as male or female. 

“With my fellow trans and gender non-conforming friends and co-workers that I speak with when we apply to things, there’s not actually a space for us, because you always have to choose