The New York Times: A half-hour before the start of “West Side Story,” two dozen protesters outside the Broadway Theater inched closer to the production’s turf.
Blocked by parked cars from their usual spot in the street, they instead occupied the sidewalk alongside ticket holders, many of whom looked quizzically at the demonstrators’ signs and fliers.
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I felt extremely conflicted about going to see West Side Story because of this issue. On the one hand, I want to get involved in the conversation surrounding this extremely modern interpretation of West Side, however, on the other hand, I have a hard time giving money to people who support and defend Amar Ramasar. In this current political climate, I find it extremely shocking that the producers are giving "zero consideration... to his potentially being terminated from this workplace." what Ramasar did, despite that fact that his girlfriend (who was in the sexually explicit photos that were distributed) defended him, was absolutely disgusting. However, there is an interesting question that is brought up that explores to what degree can a former assaulter be forgiven, or return back to their workplace, especially when that work is within entertainment. Overall, I stand with the people who are protesting, and I think that West Side should reconsider their decision to support Ramasar, especially if the goal of the show is to challenge the current world we live in.
I feel like no one here knows the full story. Did Ramasar ask for the photos he received? Was he aware the woman in the photos did not consent to her photos being distributed? Was his girlfriend aware and consenting to have her photos shared? It may be unconventional, but it wouldn’t be out of the question for an adult woman to consent to her boyfriend sharing a photo of her with a friend. I really wish I understood the situation more fully. The fact that his girlfriend is defending him really makes me wonder the context of the photo sharing. Either way, I think that the protestors who are claiming he sexually assaulted people is extremely irresponsible, and it very well may be true that production management cannot and will not fire him because there is technically no cause. I feel that no matter what we have a responsibility to fully understand a person’s history before hiring them. People will only stop engaging in problematic behavior if they are no longer able to get jobs because of it.
It is so incredibly saddening and frustrating to me, this situation and how it has played out. I am disappointed in the decisions regarding Ramasar, and how he was essentially rewarded for sexual misconduct. I am proud and praise the protesters and those in the industry who have stood up to the casting decisions. When will enough be enough? When will industry professionals tell predators this kind of behavior is not acceptable, and that women can feel safe and respected with their bodies in a professional setting? People wonder why more women don’t come out with accusations of sexual misconduct. It is because their abusers are often rewarded like this, and justice is not served. There seem to be a lot of informational holes in this situation, and I cannot know the full story of course. What he did also does not negate the face he is a very talented artist, but we must think about what people we want on the stage. Again, I don’t know the full story and situation, but it feels icky nonetheless.
It… really isn’t that hard to replace anyone on Broadway. I think that the only reason West Side Story hasn’t replaced Ramasar is because they keep digging themselves a bigger hole that they don’t feel that they can back out of at this point. Personally, I think it was a terrible idea to release a statement putting management’s support behind Ramasar. It’s a step backwards in regards to the “Me Too” movement and the overall attitude shift in regards to sexual harassment in the entertainment industry. It’s sending exactly the wrong message to young people in the industry: men can get away with whatever they want, and we’re not going to vouch for or support the victims, and we’re going to keep giving accused harassers jobs. There is still some confusion over the case and the extent of the damage done, but even though the two women primarily involved stand on opposite sides, I believe we always need to give the first voice to the victim of the situation.
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