BRITs Scraps Male And Female Awards As It Goes Gender Neutral

The BRIT awards are scrapping its 'male' and 'female' categories in 2022 and will be giving out gongs under the gender neutral titles of Artist of the Year and International Artist of the Year.

The 2022 awards ceremony, which is set to be hosted by comedian Mo Gilligan alongside Clara Amfo and Maya Jama, will see a move from the gendered categories that have previously featured to 'celebrate the achievements of artists irrespective of their gender'.

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In a statement, organisers said: "The BRITs confirm that for the 2022 show they will move away from the Female and Male categories, and will launch new awards for Artist of the Year and International Artist of the Year, celebrating artists solely for their music and work, rather than how they choose to identify or as others may see them."

Tom March, BRIT Chair and Co-President of Polydor Records, said: "It is important that The BRITs continue to evolve and aim to be as inclusive as possible.

"It feels completely the right time to celebrate the achievements of artists for the music that they create, and the work that they do, irrespective of gender.

"I'm really excited to launch four new genre awards, which create even more opportunities for artists to be acknowledged for the brilliant music they create and produce, and give music fans the chance to get involved and vote to support their artists and help them to win a BRIT.

"The 2022 show is shaping up really well, Mo is going to be an excellent host and I am thankful to him along with Clara and Maya for being part of this year's BRITs."

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Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive, BPI and BRIT Awards added: "The BRIT Awards are not just a celebration of British music, they are a reflection of British culture. The changes we are making for the 2022 show should mean more new fans, more engagement and a bigger global platform than ever for our amazing artists."

The announcement comes after numerous celebrities have come out as non-binary and used they/them pronouns - including singer Sam Smith, who is a former BRIT award nominee.

Alongside the new gender-neutral categories, organisers have included four new genre awards: Alternative/Rock Act, Hip-Hop/Grime/Rap Act, Dance Act and Pop/R'n'B Act.

Topics: Entertainment, Music, UK

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

@ClaireReid19