Vancouver Punk Band Cancels Charlottetown Show After Transgender Member Denied Women’s Washroom Access

Lucas Tremblay

10/1/20262 min read

A Vancouver punk band cancelled a scheduled performance in Charlottetown over the weekend after one of its transgender members was prevented from using the women’s washroom at the venue.

Rougaroux was travelling through Prince Edward Island as part of a cross-country tour and had been booked to perform at the Sportsman’s Club.

Several members of the touring group are transgender, including singer Marina Hanly.

Hanly said the incident happened while the band was unloading equipment and she went to use the washroom.

Singer Says Bartender Posted ‘Ladies Only’ Sign

Hanly said she was standing near the washroom when a bartender approached and placed a handwritten sign outside the door.

“As I was just outside of the washroom … trying to mentally prepare to just go in there, the bartender came up and taped up a little handwritten paper sign outside the door that said ‘ladies only,’ and said, ‘Hey, we're very strict about this,’” Hanly said.

Band member George Finley said he later found Hanly near the stage and asked what had happened.

Finley said he went to the washroom, removed the sign and approached the bar seeking an explanation.

“The words I used were, ‘Why, when my female fiancé is going to use the washroom, did you feel the need to walk in front of her and put this sign up?’” Finley said.

He said the bartender responded: “Well, if she's female, there should be no problem.”

Band Decides to Leave Venue

Finley said the exchange prompted the group to cancel the performance.

“There are four trans women travelling with us, including Marina, and I myself am a trans man,” he said.

“So I walked over there and I told everyone to get the gear and get out, that we were leaving.”

The band packed up its equipment and left without performing.

Venue Says Policy Will Not Change

A manager at the Sportsman’s Club told Peazzi that the venue tries to accommodate transgender people but that its approach does not extend to allowing patrons to use washrooms based on their gender identity.

The venue does not have gender-neutral washroom facilities.

The manager said there are currently no plans to change the policy.

Local Performer Calls Incident ‘Discouraging’

Derrick Biso had been scheduled to perform at the show under the drag persona Remedy after learning about Rougaroux’s Charlottetown appearance and contacting the band.

Biso called what happened “a really disappointing experience.”

“[It's] certainly a really disappointing experience, very discouraging and certainly one that is a violation of people's human rights to access washrooms,” Biso said.

Biso also said the incident reflects broader concerns about hostility toward transgender and LGBTQ+ people.

“The reality is hate is on the rise, and some of it relates to deep-rooted stuff,” Biso said.

Band Says Queer Identity Is Central to Its Public Image

Hanly said Rougaroux has never hidden the identities of its members and that LGBTQ+ themes are prominent throughout the band’s public image and social media presence.

“It's pretty clear that we are talking about queerness and that that is kind of like a big part of our identity as a band,” she said.

Hanly said she had spoken with the venue by phone while arranging the booking, but expected the business would have familiarized itself with the band before confirming the performance.

“I had talked to them on the phone when I was booking this but, at the same time, you kind of would think that a venue would do … the bare minimum in looking at who they're booking.”

The incident ultimately ended Rougaroux’s planned Charlottetown appearance before the band ever took the stage.

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