We’ve all read them. Social media posts expressing mundane annoyances of everyday public life. But as the American opera Bass Mr. Ruminski has just learned, publicly mocking a man with decorated nails on the bus during gay pride month in Ottawa doesn’t rate well on the scale of public annoyances. But bullying sure does. If fact, according to a poll on the 100 most annoying things, bullying ranks number 16 on the list.
It all started when Valerian Ruminski traveled to Ottawa, to attend rehearsals for Opera Lyra’s September 6th production of Puccini’s Tosca, where he was to play the role of Sacristan. While there, he took a public city bus, and found himself sitting across from a young man named Jade London. Ruminski was horrified by the way he looked, describing him as a “moron” for adorning “diamond studded nails to make up for his face.” Posting on his Facebook page, he wrote, “he is ASKING for criticism by parading his choices in front of everyone. They WANT you to notice it and get angered by it.” He also took a picture of him.
Many took to twitter and Facebook to defend the man’s right to express himself during Ottawa’s Capital Pride event, which celebrates “bringing together the fabulous, the hip and the most happening events to share the universal message of love, diversity and inclusion.” Gay Pride events often bring out showy costumes, much like they do anywhere. It comes with the territory, and is about celebration and inclusiveness for gay, straight and everyone in between.
But it seems Ruminski didn’t really share the message of love, diversity and inclusion, and felt the need to publicly shame London’s appearance.
@DaryaDashaC @RealLucyLawless @OperaLyraOttawa Unacceptable, I know the fellow and he’s lovely just like his nails. #ValerianRuminski
— Andrew F Stewart (@AndrewFstewart) August 23, 2014
Many have accused Ruminski’s post as being outright homophobic. Opera Lyra’s General Director Jeep Jeffries agreed, firing Ruminski from his role as Sacristan.
He told CBC Radio “I was disappointed and appalled, to be honest.”
Opera Lyra’s official statement reads, “Valerian Ruminski has recently expressed some personal views on Facebook. These became a public issue as soon as he chose to post them. His follow-up comments are also on the public record. Opera Lyra dissociates itself entirely from Mr. Ruminski’s publicly stated views.”
American Bass-baritone Peter Strummer has now been confirmed to replace Ruminski.
Ruminski certainly picked the wrong person to bully. Jade London is a well-known member of the LGBT community in Ottawa, and recently won the title of Miss Capital Pride this past Sunday at Marion Dewar Plaza, outside Ottawa’s City Hall.
In an interview with VelvetStudio.ca, Mr. London responded, “What I want to say to the gentleman that secretly took that photo behind my back and wrote nasty comments about how I’m a moron and how my nails all bejazzled up compensated for my face… well you know what, guess who’s standing here today as the new Miss Capital Pride: Me. […] I think if it was a woman in that place, would it have been the same reaction? I don’t think so, so he was clearly bashing the gay community on expressing themselves.”
What is perhaps the most surprising, was how stupefied Ruminski seemed over the outrage.
“My statement was hurtful and I have realized that what I have said was cruel and not in keeping with the way I generally feel about people and have interacted with people in the past. It was an unfortunate spur of the moment thoughtless comment that I need not have said and should not have said. I apologize and regret any harm this has caused to any and all parties affected by my comments.”
Mr. Ruminski backtracked and removed the posts from his Facebook page.
For some, these lessons are hard learned. One only needs to recall The National Basketball Association banning Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling from the game for life over racist comments.
Though some have criticized Opera Lyra’s move to dismiss Mr. Ruminski, according to the The Canadian Human Rights Act, there is a thin line between hate speech and freedom of speech. Hate speech includes speech that seeks to ridicule, belittle or otherwise affronts the dignity of a person or class of persons. In fact is illegal in Canada to post hateful or contemptuous messages on the Internet against an identifiable group. I don’t know if Ruminski’s comments would classify as outright hate speech, but I do think people have the right to respond, and in Opera Lyra’s case, disassociate themselves from him entirely.
Considering how much Ruminski works in Canada’s opera community, this could be a significant set back for his career. Mr. Ruminski is scheduled to appear in productions of Fidelio this November and Turandot next April with Manitoba Opera.
For more on the story, CBC reports:
Michael Vincent
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