Cirque protest peaceful

Deirdre Newman

A small protest of alleged discrimination by Cirque du Soleil took

place Friday before the opening night of “Varekai.”

Seven people held signs and handed out fliers and stickers in

protest of Cirque du Soleil firing a cast member from performing

because he disclosed that he is HIV-positive.

The protest stems from a federal discrimination complaint Lambda

Legal filed in July against Cirque du Soleil on behalf of Matthew

Cusick. Lambda Legal is a national organization that supports the

civil rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and people with the HIV

virus and AIDS.

Cusick, 32, was fired in April just before he was to start a

temporary performing job in “Mystere,” Cirque’s Las Vegas show.

Cusick was cleared to perform by the company’s doctors, but Cirque

officials informed him that his role as an acrobatic catcher could

place fellow performers and patrons in jeopardy, according to Lambda

Legal.

The protesters held signs that read “Knowledge Not Fear” and

“Cirque Discriminates.” They politely handed out the fliers and told

people to enjoy the show.

Every so often, protest organizer Jackie Mathis would shout

“Cirque du Soleil discriminates” and proceed to tell Cusick’s story.

He said he felt compelled to participate in the protest to help

educate people.

“Many, many of my friends are HIV positive, and I know many people

who died,” Mathis said. “It’s complete ignorance for a company to

fire someone because of this.”

Renee-Claude Menard, director of communication for Cirque du

Soleil, based in Montreal, said the company is waiting for a ruling

on Lambda’s complaint. There have been three previous protests in San

Francisco and Los Angeles about Cusick, and all of them have been

civil, Menard said.

“If you ask me, we prefer not having protests, but then again,

this is an issue we understand completely is a very sensitive issue,

a very complicated issue,” Menard said. “So it’s very normal that

people have an opinion on the subject.”

Cirque patrons expressed various reactions to the protest. Some

breezed by, ignoring the protesters. Others took a flier, having no

idea what it was all about. And others initiated conversations with

the protesters in support.

“I think [the protesters] are right because what they did to this

fellow was unfair,” said Carolyn Fitz-Gibbon, who said she was

familiar with the issue.

Some disagreed with the protest.

“That’s all hearsay,” Susan Whitehead said of the circumstances

surrounding Cusick’s firing.

“Not to mention, it’s the kind of job where someone could get

injured,” her friend Kim Phelan said.

A larger protest is scheduled for Thursday night, when various

groups in Los Angeles, Orange County and Long Beach will join Lambda

Legal’s protest. Cusick is expected to attend.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at deirdre.newman@latimes.com.