Anti-gay actress blames LGBTQ people in cast for her firing
Seyi Omooba
In October 2019, controversy swirled over the firing of an actress set to portray the role of Celie in the musical, The Color Purple, due to anti-gay comments she had posted on Facebook.
Now, in proceedings due to her suing her former employer, legal representatives for Seyi Omooba said the performer was fired in part due to “the particular demography of the theatre company”, of which “LGBTQ people are a sizeable proportion”.
The tribunal heard that Omooba’s former employer was “concerned about the offence taken among the community at the claimant’s post and the threats of boycott of the production”.
Those comments, posted on her Facebook page in 2014, were in response to the U.K. introducing same-sex marriage legislation. She posted:
“Some Christians have completely misconceived the issue of Homosexuality, they have begun to twist the word of God. It is clearly evident in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 what the Bible says on this matter. I do not believe you can be born gay, and I do not believe homosexual practice is right, though the law of this land has made it legal doesn’t mean it is right. I do believe that everyone sins and falls into temptation but it’s by the asking of forgiveness, repentance and the grace of God that we overcome and live how God ordained us to.
Which is that a man should leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:24. God loves everyone, just because He doesn’t agree with your decisions doesn’t mean He doesn’t love you. Christians we need to step up and love but also tell the truth of God’s word. I am tired of lukewarm Christianity, be inspired to stand up for what you believe and the truth #our God is three in one #God (Father) #Jesus Christ (Son) #Holy Spirit.”
In the years since, nor now, there has been nothing to suggest Omooba’s beliefs have changed.
According to the performer, she received a call from her agency, Global Artists, telling her that pressure was mounting for her to be removed from the show because of her views. She was told that only through retracting the comments and publicly apologizing would she be able to continue under their management, which she refused to do.
Leicester Curve Theatre and the Birmingham Hippodrome then released a statement which led to Omooba’s contract being terminated. The theatres claimed in their statement that: “The play and production are seeking to promote freedom and independence and to challenge views, including the view that homosexuality is a sin.”
“The theatre gave me the choice to either retract a statement regarding my faith or lose my job. I could not do this, not even to save the career that I love. The agency made a decision to terminate my contract based on false information.
“As I continue to seek justice I call on the courts to allow this expert evidence to be heard.”
Lawyers for Omooba argued that her anti-LGBT+ views would not have undermined her ability to play an iconic queer character.
Omooba has also won the support of the Christian Legal Centre. Their chief executive, Andrea Williams, said:
“This story sends a chilling message to Christians, not only in the theatre profession but across our society, that if you express and hold mainstream Biblical views, you will be punished and will lose your career if you do not immediately renounce your beliefs.
“We are deeply concerned that the evidence for such an important case, which has attracted global attention and concern, is being blocked by the courts.”
Thursday’s hearing was only hosted to discuss the admission of evidence, with a full tribunal scheduled to take place in February.
The Curve Theatre in Leicester and Global Artists will contest Omooba’s claims.