Black Trans actor ‘Hamilton’ says they lost role after asking for gender neutral dressing room | News
Suni Reida black transgender actor who was a member of Hamilton’s touring show, is filing a federal complaint against the producer alleging they lost her role after asking for a locker room gender distinction.
Reid, who is non-binary and uses the pronoun surname/last, filed a complaint on Wednesday (October 13) with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Los Angeles alleging discrimination and retaliation for questioning the “sanity” of the company “behind. Hamilton.
In a statement for USA Today, Lawrence PearsonOne of Reid’s attorneys, says Hamilton has been a public “lighthouse of diversity” with a commitment to fighting injustice and social harmony.
“Behind the scenes, however, the company’s management will force the dismissal of a black, transgender actor simply because they stood up for themselves and advocated for a more equal workplace, and so that public image is questionable,” Pearson said in the statement.
Reply, Shane Marshall Browna spokesman for Hamilton, told the newspaper in a statement that Reid was “a valued member” for more than three years, but denied Reid’s allegations.
“We have offered them a contract to return to ‘Hamilton’ with terms that meet their requirements,” Brown’s statement said. “We deny the allegations in (complaint). We did not discriminate or retaliate against Suni. Since closing, our organization has taken care of our community. We have treated Suni with the same respect and dignity as all members of the “Hamilton” company. ‘”
The statement added: “Specifically, we have provided direct financial support to Suni, paying for their health insurance and housing. We wish Suni all the best in the future.”
Pearson said Reid will likely file a federal lawsuit seeking “unspecified economic damages for financial harm and emotional distress,” if the EEOC allows it to continue, in an email to USA Today.
Pearson added that his clients want accountability and address members’ complaints “with greater respect and a less adversarial approach in the future.”
“We aim to protect the interests of Mx. Reid and hope this serves as a wake-up call to the theater industry about the systemic inequities that persist even at its highest peaks,” he said. “.
