Gillian Anderson calls out “The X-Files” for its lack of women behind the scenes, and rightfully so

Fans of The X-Files have been sighing at recent news about Season 11’s all-male writing staff. And now, Scully herself Gillian Anderson pointed out another way the iconic show has failed women.

News broke earlier this week that Season 11 of Fox’s The X-Files would feature an all-male writing room. While this may have been the norm in the 1990’s when the show first aired, it looks like a tone-deaf creative decision in 2017. Not that it was ever okay, but it’s especially not okay at this point.

Star (and ruler of all things) Gillian Anderson has been vocal about inequality on The X-Files before — and called out the show’s attempt to pay her half as much as David Duchovny for the reboot in January 2016:

Dare I say: "The Truth Is Out There?" https://t.co/JNBI025nGa @thedailybeast @thexfiles

— Gillian Anderson (@GillianA) January 22, 2016

But now, with word that the somehow Season 11 of the show managed to only hire male writers, she slyly reminded everyone of yet another inequality via a simple, single tweet about the very small number of female directors to have worked on The X-Files.

And 2 out of 207 eps directed by women. I too look forward to the day when the numbers are different. #TheFutureisFemale https://t.co/38SVdTfCR1

— Gillian Anderson (@GillianA) June 29, 2017

It’s probably hard to believe that only two episodes of 207 have been directed by women — one of those directors being Anderson herself. So while we obviously, can’t go back in time to fix the past, we must keep having these conversations in order to improve the dismal numbers when it comes to representation behind the scenes in Hollywood.

Because hopefully, those conversations will result in real change — on The X-Files and otherwise.