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Anya Taylor-Joy Being Described As ‘Woman Of Color’ Leaves Internet Baffled
Anya Taylor-Joy was described as a ‘woman of color’ after an award win and it’s left the internet confused.
Users online are outraged after an online article named the white actress as a ‘woman of color.’
Taylor-Joy is an award-winning actress who has starred in films such as The Men, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
She is, however, best known for her role as chess prodigy Beth Harmon in The Queen’s Gambit.
Yet when Taylor-Joy picked up a Golden Globe for her role in the Netflix drama, people were left extremely confused afterwards.
A specific article had referred to her as a ‘woman of color,’ leaving many on the internet puzzled.
Who branded the actress a ‘woman of color’?
Back in 2021, Taylor-Joy picked up the Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film for her role in The Queen’s Gambit.
Following the win, Variety described the actress as a ‘woman of color.’
The publication’s statement originally read: “Argentinian Taylor-Joy is the first woman of color to win this category since Queen Latifah in 2008 and only the fifth woman of color to win overall since 1982 when the category was introduced.”
This was brought to light by writer Valerie Complex, who took to Twitter and said: “I love her as an actress but THIS article has her listed as the FIRST WOMAN OF COLOR to win in this category and I legit give up.”
Many others took to social media and had their say on the statement.
Users online were outraged…
One person wrote: “Anya Taylor-Joy is very beautiful and very cool but she is not a woman of color.”
In agreement, another added: “Anya Taylor-Joy is a woman of color?! Is this a f***ing joke?! She is white and she is from Latin America.
“There are white people here too. Latin American is not an ethnicity, in any case, it makes reference to a geographical or cultural area.”
“Friendly reminder that being Latina and being a woman of color is not always the same thing,” somebody else said. “Congrats to Anya Taylor-Joy (Argentina) for her Golden Globe win and for speaking up.”
Now, Variety has updated the story to better reflect Taylor-Joy’s ancestry.
On the website, a notice now reads: “UPDATED: This story has been updated. A previous version identified Anya Taylor-Joy as a person of color. She has said she identifies as a white Latina.”
Taylor-Joy has never publicly addressed the backlash in detail, although Variety later corrected its original wording.
Where was she born?
Taylor-Joy was born in Miami, Florida, to her Scottish-Argentine father, Dennis Alan Taylor, and her mother, Jennifer Marina Joy.
The Last Night in Soho star lived in Argentina until the age of six before moving to the UK, and she’s also fluent in English and Spanish.
In an interview with Vulture, Taylor-Joy addressed her childhood and how she doesn’t want to take roles away from Latina actresses.
The actress explained: “I’m aware of the fact I don’t look like a typical Latin person, and that’s not fair.
“I don’t want to be someone that you can just sub in for that role when I’m really white and blonde.”
But it’s not the first time she’s been at the centre of a debate.
When she attended a show during Paris Fashion week in 2023 alongside Jenna Ortega and Rachel Zegler, people called the trio out.
Users online noted that Ortega, despite being Latina, is not a Spanish speaker.
And this sparked a discourse online about what truly defines Latinx identity.
In a lengthy article about the debate, Vogue conclude: “Yes, there is still work to be done in changing Latinx representation in Hollywood and music.
“However, we can remember that no matter where a person may be in their Spanish-language journey, they are Latina enough.”
Related Article: Paris Jackson Explains Why She Identifies As A Black Woman
Related Article: Anya Taylor-Joy Had A Devastating Response When Asked If She’s ‘Self-Conscious’ About Her Eyes
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