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. J H
In its complaint Lambda claimed, “Cirque du
Soleil denied Cusick a job without a valid rea
FLOYD S klaver is a Portland free-lan ce journalist.
son, since he does not a pose a health risk or safe-
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