Oscar-winner Mia Neal hopes for a future where Black trans women winning awards is “normal”
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom by hoping for a future where Black trans women can enjoy their own success on film’s biggest stage.At last night’s 93rd Academy Awards, Neal and Jamika Wilson became the first Black women to win the Oscar for best hair and makeup, alongside Sergio Lopez-Rivera.Neal led the hairstyling department on Netflix’s film about Black queer blues icon Ma Rainey, while Wilson was star Viola Davis’ personal hairstylist and Lopez-Rivera her makeup artist.During her acceptance speech, Neal acknowledged the historic nature of her win, but also hoped for a future where it would be “normal” to see Black trans women winning Oscars.“I want to say thank you to our ancestors who put the work in, [and] were denied but never gave up,”