Culture is tossed about by the turmoil of society in its own way. Sometimes glorious as a bulwark against the loss of meaning, sometimes a downcast face in the face of the sexual scandals afflicting its ranks. In other areas too, everyone protects their peers, at Hockey Canada as well as in the military, the police or politicians. But the cliché of bohemian life in disorder of the senses, sex, drugs and rock’n’roll, sticks to the status of the artist, predator or not. For a long time tolerance was the order of the day, and the excesses of delinquents camouflaged.
However, therefore, the #MeToo movement came to sparse the cultural ranks by overthrowing several tenors, from producer Harvey Weinstein behind bars to Gilbert Rozon fallen from his throne of emperor of laughter, passing by stars of the stage and screens. We have seen many members of the community change their tune, denouncing deviant sexual behavior, breaking with the age-old habit of closing their eyes. Other times, other manners.
All the better if the aggressors, especially in positions of authority, pay for their crimes.
But suddenly, the previous career goes by the wayside. Dangerous drift, that of reducing a being to his faults alone. Certain outlaws have contributed to the greatness of the world of the arts, from which the whole society has feasted. Rather than admitting yes, so-and-so did this, but shattered over it, minds get confused and, weary of war, turn on each other. However, nothing is simple. Domino effects illuminate the disarray of the hour.
Colonies of artists suffer when their headliners are caught with their pants down. Thus, the company Ballet Eddy Toussaint was a jewel of the city of Laval after the glorious career of its founder on the international scene, culminating during the 1980s and 1990s. The choreographer, a native of Haiti, had also given his name to a school dance, which was rolling along well.
Yes, but crack ! Toussaint appeared in July on allegations of sexually assaulting a young dancer. A second complaint was added. He will be back in court on October 5. As a result, the choreographer left his seat as chairman of the board of directors as well as his duties as a professor. Whether he is found guilty or not, how can he prevent the forfeiture of his name, which has become the symbol of a derailed train?
Last Sunday, the dance school and company were renamed Toussaint in favor of Tompkins, surname of the general manager of the two institutions. The house rightly protests against the penalization of dancers drawn into this maelstrom in spite of themselves. The school is also losing its feathers.
Beneath the scandal, the show Dracula scheduled for October loses the poster at the Maison des arts, after the City of Laval had called for a time out in order to see more clearly. Students from the school have unenrolled. And Nutcracker, champion of the holiday season, sees its representations undermined in December. Crisis cell, commotion. Deleterious climate. Not fair ! No.
There are currently no safeguards or informal protocols to help failing companies deal with grantmakers and the public in this kind of ordeal. It’s the save who can.
It would be better to look for solutions to counter the perverse effects of the changes underway, even those that we approve of. The return of the pendulum in favor of victims of sexual violence is to the glory of the #MeToo movement. The fact remains that the people’s courts seal the fate of defendants before their sentencing, with pernicious consequences. As for the statue of justice, we see it leaning to the right then to the left, condemning an aggressor, pardoning the next with a logic that escapes ordinary mortals. The public struggles to follow.
Take the case of Edgar Fruitier. The music-loving actor begins his six-month prison sentence for sex crimes committed during the 1970s. Hoping for a reprieve, his lawyer pleaded old age (92), incapacity (his memory loss takes away his memory of offenses in question) and the non-intrusive nature of the touching, despite the trauma suffered by the victim. Dismissed last week on appeal, the host of great minds will do its time in the shade. Beyond proven guilt, other factors came into play.
His risk of recurrence was nil. And are prisons really equipped to provide the care required for people with a loss of autonomy, especially the very elderly? Exemplary sentence for a defendant who is both famous and vulnerable? A doubt floats. Hence the need to relearn how to weigh the pros and cons, beyond the polarization of the day. In order to better unravel within oneself the skein of complicated issues that constantly divide us.