A punk band from Vancouver had to call off their performance in Charlottetown over the weekend after a transgender member of the band was prevented from using the women’s restroom at the venue. Rougaroux, a band with transgender members, was on a cross-country tour and had a show scheduled at the Sportsman’s Club in Prince Edward Island.
During the setup, singer Marina Hanly, who is transgender, was stopped from using the women’s restroom by a bartender who put up a sign restricting access to women only. Band member George Finley intervened by removing the sign and confronting the bar staff about the discriminatory action.
The band decided to walk out of the show in response to the incident. Finley, who is also transgender, emphasized that they were not comfortable performing at a venue that displayed such discrimination against transgender individuals.
The management of Sportsman’s Club defended their bathroom policy, stating that they do not offer gender-neutral facilities and have no intention of changing their current policy. Derrick Biso, who was supposed to perform at the show in drag as Remedy, expressed disappointment at the discriminatory experience and highlighted the importance of upholding human rights, especially in access to basic facilities like restrooms.
Hanly emphasized that Rougaroux embraces their identity openly, with their social media reflecting their queerness. Despite prior communication with the venue, Hanly expressed disappointment in the lack of consideration shown towards their band’s identity when booking the performance.
