MUSIC
Instagram Page Stirs Controversy Over Gay Men’s Chorus
Social media posts follow exposure of racism allegations
BY TAT BELLAMY-WALKER
Following the recent emergence
of allegations of racism
in New York City Gay
Men’s Chorus, a new Instagram
page claiming to highlight
the group’s racist past has drawn
criticism from people of color who
currently or previously served in
the chorus.
Distraught over racism in the
chorus, an ex-member, who asked
not to be named, created an Instagram
page in September dubbed
“nycgmc_nightmares,” where
members could anonymously
share stories of racism and sexual
harassment in the chorus. Four
months ago, Gay City News exposed
the internal uproar at the
chorus, where one member said
he was booted for calling out racism
and another recalled hearing
racial slurs by members at a nonchorus
performance, among other
issues.
One of the Instagram posts that
has drawn signifi cant attention
shows Black NYCGMC members
wearing Blackface. The photo,
which is not from an NYCGMC
performance, has been criticized
by members for lacking context
and spreading false information.
Alongside the post on Instagram,
the site’s creator claims the image
includes both former and current
NYCGMC leaders, but the post
does not mention that the play was
created by a Black chorus member
in protest of racial injustice in the
chorus.
“Please do not sing with this racist
Chorus. They do not care about
BIPOC folks, women, or trans
folks,” the NYCGMC_Nightmares
wrote in a post, tagging Lady Gaga,
Ariana Grande, Our Lady J, and
Demi Lovato.
Since the page surfaced on social
media, some members who
spoke to Gay City News on the condition
of anonymity have criticized
it as an act of retaliation to stir
controversy and harass others in
the group. However, the platform’s
creator, who is a person of color,
said he’s trying to amplify their
The @nycgmc_nightmares Instagram page has highlighted allegations of racism in the chorus.
concerns.
“People don’t get to tell their stories,
they don’t get to speak the
truth about what they experience,
and quite frankly, it’s mired by a
majority of white voices,” the page’s
creator told Gay City News. “I think
that’s extremely unfortunate and I
want that to change.”
The photo was taken in 2014
after a group dubbed the “Bro-
Mos” (Brothers Who Are Homos)
performed the song “12-inches of
Slave” during a retreat for the chorus
community. The performance
debuted during the retreat’s “No
Talent Show,” which included
similar satirical works calling out
racial stereotypes. The four-minute
musical number “12-inches of
Slave” included an all-Black male
cast and hoped to shed light on
the impact of racism in the chorus
and in the LGBTQ community at
large.
In the wake of the allegations
that surfaced in recent months, the
Big Apple Performing Arts (BAPA)
— which oversees the chorus as a
non-profi t management company
— released a statement in late October
that acknowledged rampant
racism and other concerns in the
chorus. A BAPA spokesperson said
the chorus now has a new board of
directors who are “aware of these
issues and are deeply committed
to making changes within the organization.”
“We begin by offering a sincere
and unconditional apology,” the
group said in a written statement.
“There have been multiple incidents
of discriminatory and racist
behavior within our organization
and the leadership simply did not
do enough to rectify those harms
or to ensure the safety thereafter
of our members.”
Some of the changes include a
faster way of handling grievances,
implementing a new anti-racism
policy, a scheduled open forum for
members of color to discuss these
issues, and a revamped Inclusion
and Equity Team. The BAPA
spokesperson declined to comment
on the Instagram page but confi
rmed that the Blackface photo is
from a sketch with an anti-racism
message and is directed by a member
of color.
“The sketch was at a private
event and not an offi cial or public
BAPA presentation, therefore
we have no further comment,” the
BAPA spokesperson said.
In light of allegations of racism
INSTAGRAM
within the organization, some past
and current members of the NYCGMC
asked not to be named in
the article, citing fears of retaliation
from chorus leadership. In an
email to Gay City News on November
11, the NYCGMC’s Board of
Directors responded to these concerns.
“It is too often true and it makes
sense that people who have experienced
pain, discrimination, and
harassment feel unsafe to come
forward, and we deeply regret
that this has been the case within
our organization,” the NYCGMC’s
Board of Directors said. “We offer
both our apologies and a renewal
of our promise to change. It is our
hope that our new Grievance Response
Process and Anti-Racist,
Anti-Discrimination and Anti-
Harassment Policy will help open
these channels of communication,
but we also know that trust is diffi
cult where these offenses have occurred.”
The NYCGMC Board of Directors
added that they are open to hearing
these issues and have created
public and private channels for
members of color to share their ex-
➤ GAY MEN’S CHORUS, continued on p.13
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