Earlier in the awards season, Karla Sofía Gascón explicitly mentioned injustices against trans people while speaking for the cast after the film’s triumph in the best musical or comedy film category at the Golden Globes.
“I chose these colors tonight — the Buddhist colors — because I have a message I have for you,” she said at the time, referencing the colors of her dress. “The light always wins over darkness. You can put us in jail, you can beat us up, but you can never take away our soul or our resistance or our identity. I want to say to you, raise your voice and say that I won, I am who I am, not who you want [me to be].”
Cynthia Nixon Breaks Down Her “SATC” Era, Run for Governor & “And Just Like That” Return
Gascón, once considered a serious contender in the best actress category, saw her chances at an Oscars win evaporate in January after a slew of old racist, Islamophobic tweets resurfaced. She later issued an apology for the tweets.
“I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused hurt,” Gascón said in a statement at the time. “As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain. All my life I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness.”
Gascón was in attendance at the ceremony, after doubts whether Netflix would foot the bill for her to be there in person.
Saldaña, who has had a much smoother awards season after winning most major televised honors in her category, mentioned her trans nephew after accepting her BAFTA award for best supporting actress in February. Notably, Saldaña did not mention her nephew on stage and only did so to the media after accepting the honor.
“I’m dedicating all of these awards and the film Emilia Pérez to my nephew, Eli. He is the reason — they are the reason — I signed up to do this film in the first place,” she said. “So as the proud aunt of a trans life, I will always stand with my community of trans people.”
Saldaña’s Oscars speech was moving, referencing being a child of immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic at a time of fierce anti-immigrant sentiment nationwide, but she did not mention the trans community. Neither did the songwriting team behind “El Mal,” which took home the prize for best original song later in the night.
The Oscars stage is no stranger to political speeches and trans people certainly could have used a shoutout, given that 2025 has already been a historically awful year for trans people in America. In January, Trump issued an executive order making it the official position of the United States that there are only two genders defined at birth. His administration has continued to attack health care for trans youth, trans military service, and access to identity documents.
Last year, a record number of bills aimed at limiting trans freedoms, including access to gender-affirming health care, were weighed in state legislatures.
