The Oscars have generated quite a stir this year, as many prominent actors and directors claim that they will boycott the award ceremony due to the over-abundance of perceived racism present within the institution. Protesting the lack of diversity and the ostensible bias toward the performances of white males, Will Smith, Spike Lee and others will be sitting out this Oscar season. But is the problem of the "White Oscars" as big as it appears to be?

I'd Like To Thank The Old, White, Male Academy

According to a recent survey done by the LA Times, the minority communities may indeed have reason to protest. The Academy, the group of individuals that ultimately make the Oscar winner selections, is primarily composed of older, white men. Despite being about 63 percent of the US population, whites make up nearly 95 percent of the members of the Academy.

Simply A Reflection Of The Industry?

Although there is an undeniable abundance of whites within the academy, the real question is whether or not the racial composition of the academy influences their decisions. In 2015, only 5 minority directors were nominated for an Oscar, compared to 38 white directors. At first glance, that may seem like repugnant racism, but when one investigates the racial composition of the industry itself, one can view the bigger picture. The percent of Oscar-nominated minority directors almost perfectly mirrors their presence within Hollywood. The issue then, is not racism within the Academy, but rather the number of minority directors.

Is It Really A Problem?

Not really, according to a small majority of Americans. A recent poll by YouGov found that only three in ten Americans believe that the movie industry is not racially diverse enough. Similarly, less than 20 percent of Americans believe that the smaller number of non-white actors in Hollywood is a result of some form of bias or discrimination against non-whites.