Non-binary actress Sara Ramirez appears to have hit back after a heated New York Magazine interview that slammed her and compared her to her hated “social justice obsessive” character on And Just Like That.
The 47-year-old, who uses the pronouns “they/them,” has received mixed reactions from fans for his role as queer stand-up comedian Che Diaz, who has a central role in spin-off series Sex And The City” takes on a storyline in which cult figure Miranda explores her sexuality.
In a scathing article published by The Cut in June, journalist Brock Colyar ridiculed Ramirez for seemingly holding many of the same opinions as the character they play, without any sense of irony.
Sharing their belated reaction to the “Hack Job” article on Instagram, Ramirez didn’t hold back as they disagreed with the way they were described.
Smack back: Non-binary actress Sara Ramirez appears to have hit back over a heated New York Magazine interview
The statement began: “I thought long and hard about how to respond to The Hack Job’s article, which was ‘written’ by a white, non-binary Gen Z person who asked me serious questions, but one expected weird answer I guess(?).
“Here’s the good news: I have a dry sense of humor and a voice.” And I’m not afraid to use it either.’
They continued, “I trust that those of you who matter, who aren’t cranky kids, who are smart enough to grasp what was actually going on there, can see it for what it is: a Attempt to mock my thoughtfulness and gentleness while rejecting a valid existence and real human being in favor of TV show reviews that belong elsewhere.”
Ramirez then commented on the way people seemed to confuse her with the character Che, continuing, “I am not the fictional characters that I have played, nor am I responsible for the things that are written about them to say.” I am a human being, an artist, an actor.
“And we live in a world that has become increasingly hostile to anyone who dares to break free of gender binality or disrupt the mainstream.”
The former Grey’s Anatomy star then began sharing some “friendly reminders.”
First, “I can love women (and I do) without identifying as women.”
The second statement was, ‘Feminists come in all genders’, and third, ‘If a cis man is in charge and has ultimate control over dialogue actors and you have a valid issue with that, maybe you should interview him.’
Socialite: Ramirez has played several gender-nonconforming roles in the past, most recently non-binary comedian Che Ramirez on And Just Like That.
Surprising storyline: Ramirez starred alongside Sex and the City icons including Cynthia Nixon (right) during the reboot
They then made one final joke about one of the interview’s criticisms, saying, “Further proof that this ‘author’ knows little more about me than a Google search will yield, I would have loved to have smoked that joint with them.”
Ramirez has played several gender-nonconforming characters in the past and was previously known for hit shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Madam Secretary.
Opinion: Brock Colyar, a non-binary journalist, criticized Ramirez’s “over the top” character
However, her role in And Just Like That drew criticism from some viewers.
After meeting in New York’s Central Park, a regular haunt of the show’s characters, Colyar said Ramirez has a style very similar to her controversial on-screen role.
Notably, Ramirez’s character introduced himself as a “queer, non-binary Mexican-Irish diva” — the same description the actor uses in his Instagram bio.
In the article, Colyar wrote, “Ramírez similarly uses words such as trauma, privilege, and social constructs to convey their various salient points.” It may seem natural to make such mental comparisons, but Ramírez deflects them and assures me : “I am an actor. I’m not the characters I play. I’m not Che Diaz.”
When confronted with criticism of her character, Ramirez firmly defended himself, telling the journalist that those critics were morally inferior.
Colyar wrote, “Ramírez brushes off the sideways glance at Che and says, ‘Anyone who benefits from patriarchy is going to have a problem with Che Diaz.’
Many viewers reported that they felt the character represented an open-ended push to weave bright storylines into modern shows.
Unexpected Romance: The characters of Ramirez and Nixon embark on a heated affair throughout the series before exploring a relationship together
Colyar wrote that among other queer people she knew, disgruntled viewers were upset after finding the character “a hyperbolized, hypercringe representation of a non-binary identity.”
When Colyar asked them about their own “mixed feelings” about the controversial storyline, they said Nixon reacted “like a therapist” and asked, “Would you like to unpack that for me?”
“Both actors seem to think the reaction has more to do with a societal uneasiness towards gender non-conforming people than with genuinely queer people’s hope that we’ll be portrayed as less lame,” Colyar wrote.
Despite some criticism, Ramirez said they stand by their character, stressing that it’s “exciting to see Che disrupting the mainstream.”
“We saw the mass mobilization against racism for George Floyd,” they added.
“That’s why it’s been so important to me this summer to be aware of the importance of disruption, of the importance of waking people from the slumber of their own comfort and privilege.”