A longtime board chairman and fundraiser for the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles will step down at the end of the season amid allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment.
John Duran, who also happens to be the mayor of West Hollywood, denied doing anything wrong and said that he was already planning on leaving the chorus after 20 years of working with the organization. A “toxic” climate within the group centered around what he calls false allegations led to his decision to announce his departure.
The Los Angeles Times interviewed three current or former chorus members who said Duran behaved inappropriately towards them. They say when they reported the actions to the chorus membership committee, leadership sat on their hands.
One chorus member, Brian Phillip Nichoalds, told The Times Duran made sexually inappropriate comments and put his hand on the inside of his waistband. Nichoalds added that when he was elected onto the membership committee, he learned of other complaints against Duran that were not acted upon.
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Other former chorus members said they quit the group because of the harassment and subsequent inaction.
Jason Tong said he left the chorus after Duran slipped his hand inside the waistband of his underwear before a show, which Tong says was “a traumatic and shocking experience.”
Duran, for his part, says he was only made aware of Tong’s accusations, no one else’s, and no corroborating evidence was found in the investigation that followed.
It’s an unfortunate chapter in the story of an organization that has been celebrated for four decades for its positive work in the community. Many members have started using the hashtag #ThisIsEnough.
The Times also reported that in 2016, when Duran was a West Hollywood city councilman, he settled a sexual harassment suit with a former aide for $500,000, though Duran admitted no wrongdoing.
Greg
If a person touches you in a way that is inappropriate or you don’t like, say something right then and there. End of story. If it happens again, then make a Federal case out of it.
Brian
I googled to see what this guy looks like. I’d get creeped out if he tried to fondle me too.
But yeah. The mayor of liberal utopia West Hollywood should certainly know better than to be shoving his hand into guys’ underwear. Especially when he’s concurrently trying to get Donald Trump’s Walk of Fame star removed.
Franklin
DO you always have to make it political?
Juanjo
Last I checked, creeps who sexually harass/assault/rape people were not limited people of a particular political, sexual orientation, socio-economic level, race, ethnicity, religion or other such social designations. Try to stay on the relevant issue instead of inserting drivel into the conversation because you have an obsession with people of a certain political persuasion.
Curtispsf
So Jason Tong had “a traumatic and shocking experience” because a person slipped his hand into the waistband of his underwear? Now, I’m not saying that unwelcome physical touching is EVER appropriate, but what special delicate snowflakes we’ve all become when something like this is “traumatic”. I’ll tell you what is traumatic: the death of a loved one, a violent physical attack, the loss of a home, the loss of a job…all these things are traumatic. An inappropriate touching followed by nothing else doesn’t qualify in my book. Shocked? Perhaps, but traumatic I’m not buying. I’ll bet dollars to donuts that Mr. Tong has or will be filing a lawsuit for this incident. He’ll also claim that he quit the chorus because of this. Oh wait, he already HAS.
Bourgeois Pig
Wow, that’s quite a judgement call to make towards Jason Tong. I’m assuming you must know him well and he has not experienced any possible sexual molestation, rape or abuse in his lifetime and couldn’t possibly have experienced any emotional consequences. Let’s leave targeted judgment calls out. Any person that touches another individual without consent should be held accountable, especially since this seems to have not been Mr. Duran’s first accusation.
Brian
Man up, coming from the Puritan queen who gets the vapors and has to reach for her smelling salts every time she logs into Queerty. That is rich.
Juanjo
Wow, that’s quite a blame to victims screed there, curtis. Have you always been a complete douche or is this a recent change?
inbama
Me,Too is turning us into women.
Brian
Men have been victims of assault and rape for… as long as there have been men… so like, 100,000 years.
niles
Those waistband abusers are the absolute worst. If someone touched mine, I think I would just burst into tears.
MarathonBoy
The subset of promiscuous urban gay men like the mayor and Kevin Spacey are finally being shamed and reined in. Appeals to morality couldn’t do it, four decades of public health crises couldn’t do it, and basic common sense couldn’t do it.
But the “social justice” cult is succeeding where everything else failed. This might be the first genuinely good thing to come from the “social justice” crowd.
Brian
I fully believe this. The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus has similar problems, and the leadership ignores complaints. Lewd comments would be one thing, but it goes far beyond that. Grabbing, spanking, pantsing, tickling. No never means no to the older and more powerful guys in the chorus. Younger and newer members are expected to accept it or leave. Sounds like the LA chorus has the same culture.
Juanjo
Brian – that’s quite a claim. Do you have any actual proof of these allegations or are you just doing a defamation thing here today?
Geeker
Gay guys can be creeps and assholes too, just look at some of the commenters here for proof.
am
Oh no! I used to play in a gay rugby team. Like 5 years ago. Should I complain now my teammates touched me during training sessions back then?
Bob LaBlah
Well folks, my comment is “being held in moderation” no doubt because I question the trauma these queens suffered and how this choir is handing out money as though its falling from heaven. Stick with victimization or face censorship.
seaguy
If Jason Tong found the guy slipping his hand under the waistband of his underwear to be “a traumatic and shocking experience.” I would hate to know what he would describe an actual sexual assault where someone went much further.