Pointe: If you follow Louisville Ballet on social media, you may have noticed a statement posted to its channels last week. Titled "An Open Letter Against Hate and Prejudice," it says "we cannot and will not be bystanders to hate and prejudice. As artists we have a duty to challenge preconceptions respectfu
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I've often felt like we no longer live in a world where things like this happen. It feels like direct and aggressive homophobia like this is a thing of the past, and we've traded it in for something more subtle and quiet. In reality, articles like this make me realize that the world really hasn't changed like I like to think it has. In reality, I have just spent the majority of my life in accepting, liberal places. I went to a very accepting high school that didn't find anything wrong with LGBT+ people, and CMU is also a very accepting place, but that doesn't mean that there aren't still pockets of hate and bigotry in our country. The problem is that LGBT+ media and people gravitate towards the more liberal leaning states and cities, because it is safer, which means that those conservative (often southern) pockets of the country never get the exposure they need. I really applaud this theater company for proceeding against this adversity.
Being in Pittsburgh, at Carnegie Mellon, surrounded by the School of Drama community, I find myself feeling very open and accepted as a member of the LGBTQ community. Here we are thrown into our work and rarely have to find ourselves defending our work, our lifestyles, ourselves to anyone within this sphere, but this article is a reminder that that is not always the case in other spaces, and that in the United States today, there are still people who do not want to see LGBTQ people equally represented on stage, or just in daily life. But with that being said, this article is also a reminder that there are even more people who want to defend and stand up for the rights of the LGBTQ community and do what they can to make sure the voices of LGBTQ folx are known and heard. The fact that the Louisville Ballet stood by their decision to present Human Abstract, and are continuing to standby the showcase of LGBTQ stories, is fantastic and should inspire other companies to follow suit. "LGBTQ stories are not controversial, they are heartfelt and beautiful and they deserve to be told. It is my mission to create a place where that can happen without hate and prejudice." And this is a mindset that should be adapted in a more widespread manner.
I have always been very lucky to attend schools that have been welcoming for every kind of person. Every community I have been apart of has kept open minds and open hearts to everyone that walks through the door. This is very upsetting in the fact that even though I love ballet, the art form is so behind in social standards. The audience is so old and have been going to these ballet performances for years, so this kind of open artistic expression wasn’t apart of their generation. Which is still so sad to see them not have an open mind to the younger generations of the arts, and the entire world. Louisville Ballet did a wonderful job in responding to all of the hateful messages by continuing to put on the show and I hope they continue to tell stories of the LGBTQ community and others. More ballet companies, really any area of the artistic profession, need to adopt this no tolerance mindset for their audiences.
This article made me sad to remember that there are so many places close to me that are still so close-minded and hateful towards the LGBTQ+ community. When I read that this took place in Louisville, I was proud of Louisville for the progressive city it’s becoming, but overall not surprised about the backlash, as it is, in the end, in Kentucky. I’m proud of the Louisville Ballet for sticking to their guns and not wavering from their message. In a world full of hate it’s important for leaders, like them with a voice, to use their voice to spread love and positivity, and to remind LGBTQ+ kids/teens that there are people who support them and while there is still a lot of hatred in the world, there are safe places and there are places where they will be accepted no questions asked, and that the number of those places is rising dramatically all over the US.
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