Christian Youth Theater Chicago should be barred from licensing shows over Anti-LGBTQIA+ employee policy
For the past couple of years, staff and alumni at Christian Youth Theater Chicago have been asking the organization to affirm their support for the LGBTQIA+ community, especially given how many of their staff and alumni identify as such.
Instead, rather, the organization decided to double down on their stance in the opposite direction and not only put out an anti-LGBTQIA+ statement but also plan to require staff to sign an agreement that will force them back into the closet if they choose to continue to work there.
The statement(which can be found here) apparently instructs that any staff member or teacher who may identify as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community is not allowed to make that known to the children that attend the theatre programs, and must behave in a way that is “neutral or positive to Christian standards for human identity”. That basically means staff would have to somehow act “straight”. It would also likely mean that staff that are transgender or genderqueer may be forced to identify as their biological genders and be referred to as their dead names. I cannot imagine how terrible that would be.
The statement ends with the insultingly ironic point that “In keeping with our Christian commitments, bullying for any reason is prohibited.”
It’s unclear why the local chapter of this nationwide theater organization would adopt such a policy, especially since the national office hasn’t done so. Some might say it is in response to the multiple allegations of sexual assault that occurred at the San Diego chapter which forced its indefinite shutdown last year. But creating such a discriminatory policy in the name of protecting youths at the program is beyond inexcusable and doesn’t actually protect anyone from sexual offenses. Most of the incidents that occurred at the San Diego chapter happened away from the theater’s property.
While the organization states that they welcome students who identify as LGBTQIA+, by requiring their staff to sign these statements they are removing allies and support systems for these students. The damage from these types of practices has been well documented and is often tragic.
And while some may think that this is another example of cherry-picking Biblical scripture to create hate-based policies(which it is), I also think it illustrates a poor/idiotic understanding of the Bible’s teachings. There used to be the thought that if one didn’t agree with a relgion’s belief, they didn’t have to follow that religion. The problem with what CYT Chicago is doing however is discriminating and creating hate-based policies against people within their own religious group. Furthermore, policies like these create a ripple effect that allows future laws to be passed that will cause irreparable harm to those in the LGBTQIA+ community, Christian and non-Christian alike. There are many, who have studied these scriptures at the highest level, who would agree with me on that.
So I'm not going to demand CYT Chicago change their employee policy, because if they haven’t listened to their own staff and alumni, they’re not going to listen to a blogger from NY. But I will ask entities to cease working with this group, starting with licensing houses such as Music Theatre International and other licensing companies.
This coming year, CYT Chicago has announced they will perform productions of shows such as Newsies Jr., Aladdin Jr, to name a few. In the past, they have also produced shows such as Into the Wood Jr, Seussical Jr, and James & the Giant Peach. Many of these shows were created by members of the LGBTQIA+ community and their staunch allies. And while I do not speak for them, I don’t think they would approve of a theatre organization benefiting from their work while discriminating against their LGBTQIA+ employees.
So I’m asking them to have MTI revoke CYT Chicago’s licensing rights to their material. I am also asking all licensing companies to cease working with CYT Chicago immediately.
Is there a precedent for such an action? Not that I can find. But have playwrights and composers revoked the rights to their material for a wide array of reasons? Absolutely.
Revoking CYT Chicago’s ability to license material, would prevent the company from making money off the works of those in the LGBTQIA+ community while forcing their employees back into the closet and causing potentially dangerous results when it comes to the youth entering their doors.
I hope those who have the power of how their work is licensed are listening and takes notice of this.