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One who acts is considered an "actor," just as someone who practices law is considered a "lawyer."
In the gender neutral or plural wherein you have actors of multiple genders, the word actor does not change: it remains as "actor." Therefore, it stands to think that, regardless of gender, one who acts as a profession considers themselves an "actor."
Cate Blanchett recently made it clear that she would like to be referred to as such, rather than as an "actress."
Three cheers for the ACTOR Cate Blanchett! I’ve long thought “actress” is a redundant term https://t.co/laHI8VDfLX— Regina Titelius (@Regina Titelius) 1599175823.0
As jury president of this year's Venice Film Festival, Blanchett was asked to comment on the Berlin Film Festival's decision to give "gender-neutral awards," ie, to conflate "best lead actor" and "best lead actress" into one category regardless of gender.
Blanchett voiced her thoughts about the use of the two words in the first place.
If Cate Blanchett says you have to call her an actor and not an actress you do as she says.— ɛʟɨʐ |✊🏿🏳️🌈🇪🇺 (@ɛʟɨʐ |✊🏿🏳️🌈🇪🇺) 1599144855.0
Thread: “Actor” vs “Actress” I don’t find the term actress offensive or think people who use the term actress are… https://t.co/fpyd3eFk1O— Alexa Morden (@Alexa Morden) 1599493909.0
With the rise of female directors for example, should they be called a directress? By changing the term when a woma… https://t.co/NC5QsXPT0G— Alexa Morden (@Alexa Morden) 1599493909.0
Why should the name be different? We have no problem saying male/female director, producer, singer, composer, dance… https://t.co/UIAktBaM2Z— Alexa Morden (@Alexa Morden) 1599493909.0
- so normal that we don’t ever stop to think about it. When men started working in industries previously female dom… https://t.co/LkW3pHoCLC— Alexa Morden (@Alexa Morden) 1599493910.0
We don’t have teachress/professress/doctress! To me it’s an example of the patriarchy. Women can wear trousers but… https://t.co/nXtlQsm6xP— Alexa Morden (@Alexa Morden) 1599493910.0
“Actor” is also inclusive of all genders and doesn’t leave anyone not knowing how to label themselves or feeling excluded!— Alexa Morden (@Alexa Morden) 1599493910.0
There may be positive reasons people call themselves actress and if all this is weighed up and one still feels more… https://t.co/x5WVwkbyuY— Alexa Morden (@Alexa Morden) 1599493946.0
"Not as a political statement, but I've always referred to myself as an actor. I don't think we have a very gender specific language and I'm of a generation where the word 'actress' was used always in a pejorative sense. So I think I claim the other space."
However, not everybody is in favor of disposing of the binary so easily.
@guardiannews This is interesting. To assume actress is a put-down and actor is a step up. It's like saying we shou… https://t.co/cQz7HbSYl6— 𝕎𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕡𝕚 (@𝕎𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕡𝕚) 1599121339.0
@guardiannews It is weird to have gendered job descriptors and anyone who disagrees needs to have their head checked by their doctoress— Eoghan 👂sounds like oh in (@Eoghan 👂sounds like oh in) 1599120421.0
@guardiannews Seems very sexist .... actresses are just as good as actors.— Climate Warrior 🐬 #ClimateJustice (@Climate Warrior 🐬 #ClimateJustice) 1599120489.0
@guardiannews Good. She is an actor. The idea that somehow being a woman makes the job different is stupid. Is it a… https://t.co/wPmq5DYA7A— Mr. Jackson (@Mr. Jackson) 1599138999.0
Unlike many other languages, English is actually not gendered in construction.
Languages like Spanish include articles that determine the gender of a noun and the conjugation of the following sentence: ie, "El lapiz" (the pencil-"el" is a male article) then determines the gender of the adjectives following "El lapiz es largo" (the pencil is long). Whereas a feminine noun will also change the descriptor: "La pluma es larga" (the pen is long).
If English very rarely uses gendered language, why include gender in descriptors?
isn’t it weird that here in france we gender everything https://t.co/LCmbx0hpTr— finn (@finn) 1599481617.0
The question of whether English's version of gendered descriptors is sexist and pejorative is a valid and open one, but until that gets answered, Cate Blanchett shall be called an actor.