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March 28, 2022

Ariana DeBose Becomes First Openly Queer Woman of Color to Win an Oscar for Acting
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Several Hollywood stars broke barriers at the 94th Academy Awards
ceremony Sunday evening. Ariana De Bose won an Oscar for best supporting
actress for her role in "West Side Story." She becomes the first openly
queer woman of color to win an Oscar.

Ariana De Bose: "You see a queer - openly queer - woman of color, an
Afro-Latina, who found her strength in life through art. And that's what
I believe we're here to celebrate. Yeah, yeah. So, to anybody who has
ever questioned your identity - ever, ever, ever - or you find yourself
living in the gray spaces, I promise you this: There is indeed a place
for us."

Actor Troy Kotsur also made history as the first deaf man to win an
Oscar in an acting category for his supporting role in the film "CODA."
Danny Glover received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for his
decades of activism fighting against war and for social, economic and
racial justice.

And in a shocking moment, actor Will Smith rushed the stage and slapped
Oscars presenter Chris Rock in the face, after Rock joked about Smith's
wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, being bald. It's not clear whether Rock knew
Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia. After the slap, Will Smith returned
to his seat and shouted at Rock to "keep my wife's name out of your
f***ing mouth." Rock said he will not press charges against Smith. Later
in the evening Will Smith won a best actor award for his performance in
"King Richard."


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