Puerto Rican writer, filmmaker and scholar, Frances Negron-Mutaner, in her scholarly article, “Feeling Pretty” (2003), contends that West Side Story has a problematic history regarding race, gender, and sexuality.  She supports her claim by first focusing on the racial inequality presented within the poor casting of the film, then on the harmful stereotypes and “brownface” that were used to make the white actors seem more “Puerto Rican” in the public’s eye. Then, she enhanced this claim by including insight into the LGBT undertones of the musical, presented via the choreography as well as the way the male characters interact. Finally, she connects West Side Story to a musical that premiered shortly after, titled The Capeman. Negron-Mutaners’s purpose is to educate readers on the significance of race and sexuality in West Side Story, in order to increase awareness of the exploitation of Latinos and gay themes in Broadway, and its significance to the growing Latino and gay population in New York. She establishes a formal tone for non-Latinos and West Side Story fans who may not be aware of the truth behind the casting and creative decisions used to create a progressive narrative.

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