Sexual harassment is all too prevalent in theatres and college theater departments. It’s a common theme of the casting couch and predatory directors. It’s worth considering how to make sure that costume shops are free from that type of abuse and are safe for performers and costumers.
When I was starting out as a college costume designer, I was aware of sexual harassment in the theater having witnessed a few incidents myself, and been a victim too. So when I went to a USITT conference and saw that there was a workshop on sexual harassment in the costume shop, I signed up. I thought it would involve the notorious casting couch with bad directors, but I was so wrong. It was led by a very brave woman, who almost lost her job over an accusation of harassment. She was a costume designer and during a fitting she made a ribald and inappropriate comment about a young man’s buttocks in his costume. It was a Renaissance style costume and he was wearing tights. Naturally enough he got very upset, and she was in a lot of trouble I always thought that it was courageous of her to admit her mistake and use it to help others.
It was an enlightening experience for me. For one thing I went to the workshop expecting to hear about costumers being victimized and had my head turned around. Yes, costume designers are often subjected to sexual harassment but we can be the perpetrators too. It wasn’t an idea that had previously occurred to me.
Her workshop was about the various ways you can make sure that your costume shop is a place of safety for yourself and for the actors. It involves planning to create the most professional practices and atmosphere. Having the costume shop be a place of safety and equality is a good way to set it apart from the scene shop! I’m someone who likes to joke around, and I had been focusing on creating a fun atmosphere in the costume shop, but this workshop made me clean up my act. It probably saved me from committing many offenses along the way.
Some of the ways that you can protect yourself and others are simply a change of attitude, but you can also create “best practices” too like always having another person with you in the fitting rooms. I formed the habit of always asking a student to come in with me to the fitting rooms to take notes. Just having someone else there takes the intimacy level down a notch. I led by example, and also set up some rules about not making funny or demeaning comments about anyone’s body. That’s really important. Sometimes I have had to do part of the fitting in the costume shop with several other people around and I always give a little warning, no talking, no comments, no jokes! It helps in all kinds of ways because sometimes comments on an unfinished costume can be really destructive. I also completely discourage comments about other peoples bodies. It’s easy to joke about but it’s really not good.
Measuring actors and fitting costumes is a very intimate experience. So, my advice is to cultivate a calm, respectful attitude during fittings and bring someone else in to take notes.
Costumier 