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Diversity continues to grow in the television industry. According to Variety, half of all TV episodes in the 2018-19 season were directed by women or directors of color for the first time in history.

“Inclusion has been a priority of our guild for a very long time as we’ve pushed the studios, networks, and producers to do better in their hiring,” Directors Guild of America President Thomas Schlamme said in a statement. “While change had been glacial in past years, we’re pleased and incredibly encouraged to see the recent commitment undertaken by the industry.”

Also included in the report are the numbers of first-time directors. In the 2018-19 season, 227 directors who had never directed episodic television were hired for the first time. The percentage of these first breaks going to women directors hit a new record, while the percentage going to directors of color remained almost the same, but close to its highest level:

• 49% of first-time hires in the 2018-19 season were women – an increase from 41% in the 2017-18 season, and 33% two seasons prior.
• 29% of first-time hires were directors of color – down slightly from last year’s record of 31%, but up from the previous high of 27% two years ago.

Comparing figures for the 2018-19 season with 2017-18, this year’s report shows that:

• The percentage of episodes directed by Caucasian males decreased from 57% to 50%;
• The percentage of episodes directed by minority males increased from 17% to 19%;
• The percentage of episodes directed by Caucasian females increased from 19% to 22%; and
• The percentage of episodes directed by minority females increased from 6% to 8%.

Just five years ago, only 14% of U.S. television episodes were directed by women. As of last season’s statistics, men, regardless of ethnicity, made up 69% of all episodic directors last season, and Caucasians, regardless of gender, still made up 71% of all episodic directors.

African Americans directed 15% of the episodes during the 2018-19 season, up from 13% the previous year. Asian Americans directed 6% this year, the same as last year, and Latino’s also directed 6%, up from 5% the prior season. Caucasians directed 71% this year, down from 76% in the previous year.

For the report, the DGA examined over 4,300 episodes produced in the 2018-19 television season. That number was down from just over 4,400 episodes the season before and represents the second straight year that that number has declined following an all-time high of about 4,500 episodes in the 2016-17 season. According to the DGA’s analysis, the main drivers of the decrease include the ongoing decline in the number of basic cable dramatic series, coupled with the overall trend of short orders (fewer series episodes per season).

Nominations for the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards are officially in and some of our favorite entertainers scored big.

First-timers, including Lizzo and Lil Nas X, landed multiple nominations across several categories, while previous winners such as Beyoncé, H.E.R., John Legend, Brandy and Ella Mai returned to the nominees list yet again. Even forever first lady Michelle Obama made the cut!

Needless to say, there’s plenty to celebrate. Scroll through for a look at some of the highlights from this year’s list of nominees and how many nominations they each earned.

To see a full list of all nominees and categories, visit the official Grammy website here.

Congratulations to the 2020 Grammy nominees!

The post Here’s The Full List Of 2020 Grammy Awards Nominees appeared first on Essence.

Occupy Me is a new science-fiction audio drama/narrative podcast presented by Hard NOC Media/The Nerds Of Color and Melancholyball Media. Episode 2: “Internet Killed The Video Store” premieres today. The voice cast features Erin Quill, Britney Monae, Marc Abrigo, Jessika Rodrigues, Michael Ouyang, Andrea Guidry, Will Hammond, and Eric Cheung. Music by Timo Chen and […]

Every year on International Women’s Day, the internet gets flooded with men demanding to know when International Men’s Day is. Those men have apparently never taken the time to Google the question because the answer is today, November 19th.

Happy #InternationalMensDay to the men who never ask, “Well, is there an International MEN’S DAY?!?!” on International Women’s Day

— andi zeisler (@andizeisler) November 19, 2019

The idea of a Men’s Day is complicated, since–much like the recent focus on Straight Pride Parades–a lot of the demand for one comes as a response to Women’s Day, without recognizing that International Women’s Day was born out of women’s marginalization at the hands of cis men.

It’s clear that when men demand to know about THEIR day on and only on a day dedicated to women, they don’t actually care.

So you had eight months to prep. You must have come up with something amazing. It’s today. What are you doing? https://t.co/79gjNrW4s4

— Richard K Herring (@Herring1967) November 19, 2019

So yes, many of those men are asking in bad faith and should be treated as such, if not ignored completely. What shouldn’t be ignored are the issues actual good-faith actors and organizations have put at the center of International Men’s Day–issues like mental health, toxic masculinity, making sure boys have positive male role models, and the distressingly high suicide rate among men and boys.

#InternationalMensDay
Men (& boys) can be affected by:
Depression
Anxiety
Anorexia
(C)PTSD
Bipolar
Bulimia
Psychosis
OCD
BPD
Loneliness
& suicide which is the biggest killer of men under the age of 50
Fellas, you have to speak out, there is no shame in suffering, silence can kill

— MentalHealthMillion (@MentalHealthMil) November 19, 2019

Men living in the UK:

12 men each day take their own lives;

7/10 murder victims are male;

85% of people reported to be sleeping homeless are male

95% of the prison population is male;

84% of suicides linked to the recession were men.

This is not OK.#InternationalMensDay

— Dr. Jennifer Cassidy (@OxfordDiplomat) November 19, 2019

Today is #InternationalMensDay. Yet, 31% of men said they would feel too embarrassed to seek help for a mental health problem.

Being in your friend’s corner could make a real difference to their life. So, if you notice your mate is acting differently, reach out. pic.twitter.com/Nq7Qf2T2bD

— Time to Change (@TimetoChange) November 19, 2019

Would have rolled my eyes at #InternationalMensDay in years gone by, however I now recognize that while male privilege does exist – gay, trans and men of colour do not always benefit from it, and also that men’s mental health stigma is a massive issue that need attench 💓

— holly x (@hollyshortall) November 19, 2019

• Here’s why there were psychics (and psychic squids!) in Alan Moore’s Watchmen. (via Polygon)
• The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare gave away free Sailor Moon condoms last month. (via Geeks Are Sexy)
• A record number of TV episodes were directed by women and POC this year. That record number, by the way, is half–meaning the other half were directed by white men. Happy International Men’s Day, everybody! You did it! (via Variety)
• Bong Joon-ho coming in with the hot and perfect takes:
  

  Okay, this is the only good answer. We can stop with these questions now. pic.twitter.com/fyDijlu5Ii

  — Will Goss (@williambgoss) November 19, 2019

• Ayanna Pressley is calling for the decriminalization of sex work. (via Vice)
• Taking on white nationalism? Elizabeth Warren has a plan for that. (via ElizabethWarren.com)
• Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
  

  OH MY GOD THIS IS MY LITERAL DREAM CASTING!!!!!!!!!! https://t.co/vwZimiOXkR

  — Gavia Baker-Whitelaw (@Hello_Tailor) November 19, 2019

What did you all see out there today?

(image: Samantha Hurley from Burst)
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