Suni Reid Wiki – Suni Reid Biography
Suni Reid’s lengthy lawsuit indicates how difficult life can be for transgender people at work. They claim to have “experienced frequent incidents of discrimination and harassment by the cast members and management of Hamilton.” However, the production alleges that it was Reid’s posts on social media that led to her firing and not, as they claim, the lack of a gender-neutral space.
A black transgender “Hamilton” performer filed a complaint with the Los Angeles district office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Wednesday, claiming the show failed to renew its contract after it repeatedly asked for a neutral dressing room. to gender. Suni Reid was a cast member of the New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago productions of “Hamilton,” and said she was harassed and abused by other cast members multiple times, leading to her request for a dressing room.
Suni Reid Neutral dressing room request
Publicly, Hamilton is a beacon of diversity and seems committed to causes that seek social justice and harmony. However, behind the curtain, the Company’s management will force out a black transgender cast member simply because they stood up for and advocated for a more equitable workplace, and therefore questioned that public image, “Lawrence M. Pearson, Reid’s attorney, said in a statement Wednesday.
“We look forward to upholding the rights of Mx. Reid and we hope this is a wake-up call for the theater industry on the systemic inequalities that persist even at its greatest heights.” Reid received a role on the show directly after graduating from college in 2017, according to the complaint. They played joint roles and those of Aaron Burr, George Washington, Hercules Mulligan / James Madison on Broadway, as well as Marquis de Lafayette / Thomas Jefferson in Chicago.
In the 28-page presentation, Reid claims that the show “did not act” when other actors in the group physically threatened and mistook them in men’s locker rooms in Chicago and New York. In May 2021, during discussions about Reid’s contract renewal, the performer allegedly asked Los Angeles production management for access to a gender-neutral dressing room, something they said “multiple” actors had expressed. interest.
Instead, Reid alleges that the show agreed to simply hang a sheet in part of the main dressing room. After Reid said this was unacceptable, the artist claims “Hamilton” retaliated against them, suspending their ongoing contract negotiations in September.
A spokesman for “Hamilton” denied the allegations.
“Suni Reid was a valued cast member for over three years. We offered them a contract to return to ‘Hamilton’ on terms that would respond to her requests,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “We deny the allegations in office. We have not discriminated or retaliated against Suni. Since the closure, our organization has cared for our community. We have treated Suni with the same respect and consideration as all members of the ‘Hamilton’ company. . ‘Specifically, we have provided direct financial support to Suni, paid for her health insurance, and paid for her housing. We wish Suni the best in her future endeavors. ”
According to the filing, even after actor Rory O’Malley, who plays King George, agreed to give up his private dressing room, Reid was allegedly barred from the performances. Executives at “Hamilton” also reportedly raised concerns about Reid’s Instagram posts calling for greater inclusion in the industry, despite Reid saying the posts “were known to the Company for months.”
“Hamilton’s attack response by labeling Mx. Reid as ‘problematic’ not only perpetuates harmful stereotypes but betrays the Company’s thoughtful retaliation impulse in response to Mx. Reid daring to question Hamilton’s social equity in good faith and speaks out against abuse based on your race, sexual orientation / LGBTQ + status, gender, and gender identity, “the filing reads.
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