“What we’re asking Equity to do is make a place where you can get some guidance, where there are some rules, where there is someone who has some kind of authority to step in and make things right,” she says.
Her proposals include having a statement against harassment read to the cast and crew at the beginning of each production, designating a union official who can hear reports of abuse, and offering professional mediation to help resolve disputes.
The culture of theater contributes to the problem, says Jordan. “We’re constantly taking off our clothes and kissing each other and acting out love scenes and acting out violence,” she says, contributing to a sense that “the lines are already blurry.”
