What is an “inclusion rider”? This is what Frances McDormand was talking about during her 2018 Oscars speech
If you’re currently googling “inclusion rider definition,” you are certainly not alone. Following Frances McDormand’s 2018 Oscars Best Actress win for her role in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Twitter was doing its best to figure out what the actress meant when she said “inclusion rider” during her speech. In addition, McDormand proclaimed,
“We all have stories to tell. Invite us into your offices and we’ll tell you all about them.
Following her powerful speech — which memorably included, “I have two words for you: inclusion rider” — we were asking: Inclusion writer? Inclusion write her? Inclusion rider?
According to Franklin A. Thomas, Professor in Policing Equity at John Jay University, the inclusion rider definition is: “a clause in an actor’s contract that requires the cast and crew be diverse in order to retain the actor.” He added, “That’s kind of a brave thing to say on such a big stage.”
Fortunately, Twitter was also on the case.
An “inclusion rider” is a clause in an actor’s contract that requires the cast and crew be diverse in order to retain the actor. That’s kind of a brave thing to say on such a big stage.
— Phillip Atiba Goff (@DrPhilGoff) March 5, 2018
The inclusion rider is a solution from #DrStacySmith and Annenberg Inclusion Initiative that stipulates inclusion goals in an actor’s contract. Reach out to us if you want to know more @Inclusionists
— leah fischman (@LeahFischman) March 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/udfredirect/status/970519107920523266
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Following McDormand’s speech, host Jimmy Kimmel stated, “I hope she wins an Emmy for that speech because that was unbelievable.” We agree, because along with many others, we were tilting our heads at “inclusion rider.” Considering it’s such an important piece of contract knowledge, we’re glad Frances McDormand brought it to light. The more people know about inclusion riders, the more they will (hopefully) be used in the name of inclusivity.
Comedian Whitney Cummings perhaps put it best when she tweeted,
"We should support this for a billion reasons, but if you can't find a reason to, here's one: it will make movies better."
It. Will. Make. Movies. Better.
