A Black Transgender cast member of “Hamilton” has filed a complaint against the musical.
Suni Reid has worked as a member of the “Hamilton” cast for over two years, but in a complaint on Wednesday, they accused the play of harassment, physical threats and purposely mis-gendering them. They filed the complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), naming the broadway show’s parent company, Eliza Tour and Adventureland LLC, as the defendant.
Reid claims they asked management to set up a gender-neutral dressing room at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre and that’s when Reid says they “refused to renew their contract” back in September.
“Unfortunately, during Mx. Reid’s years with the show, which purports to be an icon of diversity, they have experienced frequent incidents of discrimination and harassment from cast members and management of Hamilton based upon their race, sexual orientation/LGBTQ+ status, gender, and gender identity,” the complaint reads.
Reid went on to say that management “failed to act when certain actors physically threatened or intentionally and repeatedly mis-gendered Mx. Reid, who was open about being transgender/non-binary.”
In a Wednesday statement, a Hamilton spokesperson said they “deny allegations in the Charge,” and noted that they gave Reid “direct financial support, paid for their health insurance and paid for their housing.”
“Suni Reid was a valued cast member for more than three years. We offered them a contract to return to Hamilton with terms responsive to their requests,” the spokesperson said. “We have not discriminated or retaliated against Suni. Since the shutdown, our organization has taken care of our community. We have treated Suni with the same respect and consideration as all the company members of Hamilton.”
