Non-binary comedian Mae Martin responds to BAFTA ‘best female’ nomination
Non-binary comedian Mae Martin. (YouTube/ BBC Three)
Non-binary comedian Mae Martin has responded to their BAFTA nomination for “Best Female Performance in a Comedy Programme”.
Martin was nominated for their starring role in the hit show Feel Good, which they also co-wrote.
Commenting on the nomination on Twitter, they wrote: “Thank you so much BAFTA! This is very thrilling.”
They thanked their co-creator and co-writer Joe Hampson, producer Objective Fiction, Charlotte Ritchie, who plays George in the show, “and all the other angelic supportive people who helped make the show”, before adding: “Ps gender’s a construct.”
Thank you SO MUCH @BAFTA ! This is very thrilling. Thanks to Joe Hampson and @Objective_Fic and @Charitchie and all the other angelic supportive people who helped make the show.
(Ps gender’s a construct) https://t.co/rkl9jJbQo3
— Mae Martin (@TheMaeMartin) April 28, 2021
Fans were thrilled for Mae Martin, but also frustrated at the gendered award nomination.
One wrote: “This show, honestly, was one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen. So so well deserved!
“Non-binary representation at awards is wonderful and you should be extremely proud of yourself for being that! Awarding bodies just need to catch up with how to categorise!”
“Ah well deserved,” said another. “But yes, ‘best performance in a comedy’ could be an option.”
Mae Martin came out as non-binary in a heartfelt Instagram post
Mae Martin came out as non-binary earlier this month, explaining on Instagram that the way they feel about their gender identity “is ongoing and evolving”.
They wrote: “I’m non-binary, my pronouns are they/them and she/her (I love it when people say ‘they’ but I don’t mind ‘she’ at ALL).
“I’m very bisexual and attracted to people of all genders. I experience gender dysphoria sometimes – not always! – and have done since I was a tiny kid.”
They added: “This aspect of my identity is just one part of me and not the main part at ALL, but I get asked about it a lot in interviews/ by online people, and am often inaccurately referred to as a female comedian or a lesbian comedian, so I thought I’d just clarify.”
