Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice
Abstract
The note examines the trend of casting straight actors in LGBT roles, termed "gay face," and explores its implications as a form of employment discrimination. It argues that this practice limits opportunities for LGBT actors and discusses the legal challenges in addressing this issue under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which does not explicitly cover sexual orientation. The note highlights the tension between anti-discrimination laws and First Amendment protections for artistic expression, noting that courts often favor the latter.
Disciplines
Civil Rights and Discrimination | Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law | First Amendment | Labor and Employment Law | Law | Law and Gender | Sexuality and the Law
Recommended Citation
Erica Ruff,
Straight Actors in LGBT Roles: Creative Casting or Employment Discrimination?,
25
Cardozo J. Equal Rts. & Soc. Just.
550
(2019).
Available at:
https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/cardozoersj/vol25/iss3/6
Included in
Civil Rights and Discrimination Commons, Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Commons, First Amendment Commons, Labor and Employment Law Commons, Law and Gender Commons, Sexuality and the Law Commons