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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 16, 2004)
aprii 16.2004» r T iïîT T T ÏÏT n T ïn e w s A ccentuate the P ositive Fired Grque du Soleil gymnast speaks at C A P auction by F lo y d Integriti/, Qiinliti/, Service Since 1936 S k la v e r ne look at man-of-steel Matthew Cusick and you’d never believe he gets rejected in bars. But the handsome 32-year-old gymnast, who was fired from Cirque du Soleil for having HIV, has had men walk away once they learn he is positive. “They don’t state it, but by their actions it’s clear they have a problem with HIV,” he says. Now, with his recent exposure as the cover boy for The Advocate, being anonymous has become even more difficult. “If they didn’t know it before,” he laughs, “they sure do now.” Cusick was in town April 10 for Art for Life, an annual Cascade A ID S Project event that raised more than $360,000. His rousing keynote speech talked about A ID S discrimination and the ways we can continue combating the deadly disease. Yet, public speaking was not the life Cusick envisioned growing up. "I’ve always wanted to perform,” he says, and “Cirque du Soleil is a dream job for any gymnast.” In 2001, when given the opportunity to audi tion for the renowned Cirque, he jumped at it. A year later, he was accepted and invited to an intensive four-month training program in the company’s home city of Montreal. He left behind his job, his apartment and a budding relationship. On his first day of training, all of the artists had to go through a medical examination “to see if their joints were O K ,” says Cusick, who has been HIV-positive since 1992. “During that examina M atthew C usick shares his story with A rt for tion I told the doctor about my HIV status.” He was sent to another doctor for a review of Life donors April 10 at Montgomery Park his viral load and medication schedule before finally being cleared for full participation with the ty threat to himself or anyone else.” Cirque’s company. Cusick completed the training, but attorneys responded by saying the company was with no contracts available (someone has to leave acting as a “socially responsible employer" with a show before a replacement can enter it) he was an obligation to avoid “known safety hazards.” sent home to wait. Shortly thereafter, he was T h e outcry was fierce, with international called by Cirque for another training slot and, in media attention focused on Cirque and nation the course of negotiating that contract, an open wide protests at many o f its touring shows. ing in the Vegas extravaganza Mystère opened up. Celebrities such as Nathan Lane, Rosie O ’Don Cusick trained to be a Russian high bar catch nell and C hita Rivera urged Cirque to reconsid er, preparing to spend each performance 45 feet er its policy and reinstate Cusick. above the audience, swinging back and forth while T hen, in December, Cirque got into even catching other performers after //f/ . J more hot water when it an- they flipped and turned gracefully / VB OlWOyS WQfltBU nounced, “There are many em- in midair. “T he skills weren’t very in n o r fn r m C irn u o ployment positions that would difficult,” he says, says, “but it was a '0 p e l IO IIJl . . . . LlflfUu sujtecj to an individual with matter of timing.” H IV [including] dishwashers, du Soleil is a dream He also trained for the C h i- • L f . // dining room attendants, prep nese poles, which rise vertically / 0 0 tO i 0/?/ 0 ymDQSt. cooks, box office staff, box office assistants, ushers, hosts/host- from the stage while the per — Matthew Cusick formers hold themselves per esses, food and beverage staff, public sales assistants, merchandising staff and pendicular to the pole. “It requires brute hawkers.” As Lambda put it, “Our client’s dream strength,” he explains. “I look at a gymnast and they are not so huge, but they are very strong.” job is to be a performer, not a dishwasher.” But even Cusick’s strength training couldn’t It all came to a head in January when the prepare him for what came next. In April 2003, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission just three days before he was scheduled to dehut in determined that Cirque likely engaged in illegal discrimination and the company offered to “re Mystère, he was suddenly notified that Cirque was integrate” Cusick as a performer. (A t press time firing him for being HIV-positive. “It was a total the case was still in mediation.) shock,” he says. ‘T h e y told me I could infect other Now working part time as a personal trainer, performers, the crew and even the audience.” Cusick is determined to make something positive Dejected but undaunted, he retreated to his out of being positive and has begun speaking pub parents’ home, took a job as a bartender and licly about H IV discrimination. “I am here to put contacted Lambda Legal, which filed a discrim a face to HIV,” he says. And with a face— and ination lawsuit against Cirque. body— like his, people are sure to listen. 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