Emmy awardees make strong statement on trans rights, racism, sexual harassment and more

The Emmy Awards saw highlighting of pressing social issues at hand, such as the Holocaust, trans rights, pay gap and previous winners being accused of racism and sexual harassment. Peter Griffin, in a very subtly sarcastic undertone, called out on Bill Cosby and Roseanne Barr.

Alex Borstein, who received best supporting comedy actress for The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, made use of the platform to honour her grandmother, who was a Holocaust survivor. She encouraged women to step out of the line, by giving reference to an incident where her grandmother was almost killed by a guard. She said she wouldn’t be here if her grandmother hadn’t stepped out of the line. She used the phrase ‘stepping out of lin' as a metaphor for breaking societal conformities, for being brave.

"My grandmother was in line to be shot into a pit... she turned to a guard and she said 'What happens if I step out of line?' and he said 'I don't have the heart to shoot you but somebody will'.

"And she stepped out of line, and for that, I am here and for that my children are here, so step out of line ladies, step out of line."

"Well kids, in my day the Emmys was always the night of the biggest stars and the best winners," Peter Griffin was seen telling his family, in a setup of the show Family Guy.

"It seemed like every year it was Bill Cosby, Roseanne, Roseanne, Bill Cosby, Bill Cosby, Roseanne and Bill Cosby," he said.

It was a taste of the dark humour of Family Guy when Peter Griffin indirectly called out Bill Cosby and Roseanne Bar, both of whom have been amid deep controversies off late. Roseanne Barr, who was kicked from her own show for making racist comments online, and Bill Cosby, who is now in prison, doing time because he was sentenced for sexual assault. " The Emmys has always been great at rewarding great people for great work," concluded Griffin. "Who will be this year's Bill Cosby and Roseanne? Let's keep watching to find out!"

Patricia Arquette received the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie for The Act. In her acceptance speech, she said she missed her sister, paying a tribute to her late sister Alexis, one of the first transgender activists in Hollywood, who died in 2016 after cardiac arrest related to HIV. Alexis overcame a lot of prejudice and transphobia while being in the industry.

“I just have to say, I'm grateful to be working, I'm grateful at 50 to be getting the best parts of my life," said Arquette as she took to the stage. "In my heart, I'm so sad I lost my sister Alexis," Arquette said. "Trans people are still being persecuted and I'm in mourning every day of my life Alexis, and I will be for you for the rest of my life, until we change the world so that trans people are not persecuted. "And give them jobs, they're human beings, let's give them jobs, and get rid of this bias that we have everywhere."