There was a time not too long ago, in which acting as a vocation was considered as immoral, denigrating, and altogether unsuitable for anyone who sought to maintain a decent public image. This public perception has shaped and reshaped over the years to evolve into a legitimate and beneficial livelihood that utilizes creative as well as intellectual skills in a person. In the past, acting was especially considered highly inappropriate for females; in the twenty first century, however, actresses are among some of the most highly paid and sought after professionals. In this respect, actors such as Emma Thompson or Meryl Streep have become iconic representations of womanhood, respected and adored worldwide. Adding to this reversal of public perception is a long list of award granting institutions and honorary degrees awarded by leading universities.
Acting that was earlier dismissed as a ‘useless’ vocation that was simply perceived as contributing exclusively to the entertainment industry. Hence, acting as well as actors were, in essence, contributing to indulging the sense. Today, however, actors are duly recognized for bolstering social, legal, political, and other such agendas. Actors, therefore, are viewed as socially responsible ambassadors of goodwill and peace. Actors, male or female, are found at the forefront of social justice and highly beneficial social causes (Male actor dresses as woman). To give a simple example, actors contribute immensely to important causes such as the fight against AIDS, global peace, and education. Actors also officially partner with international NGOs such as UNISEF and UNESCO.
An important reason for this reversal is the severing of acting from an exclusive association with the body. In other words, actors today are not viewed as people who use their bodies to give pleasure. On the contrary, actors are viewed as practitioners of a craft that uses a variety of bodily instruments to generate emotions, reactions, ideas, and in essence, public perceptions in relation to ideas, movements, institutions, concepts, and current affairs.
It has to be noted, however, that some gender anomalies are still present in the livelihood of actors. Male actors, for instance, are paid more than their female counterparts. Though this might be the case, there’s no denying the highly evolved nature of acting as a career. It is not surprising that every other person in New York City wants to be an actor!
Today, actors, male or female, are represented by the media as important contributors to global peace, equality, and justice. Granted, that the media also portrays actors as immoral and wasteful individuals, but that is due to the public being overly curious about the goings on in actors’ personal lives. That alone can support the idea that acting is viewed as interesting, important, and intriguing.
Works Cited
Male actor dresses as woman to experience sexual harrassment. CNN. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.
