John Cleese Cancels British Columbia Tour Stops Over Gender Ideology Criticism Fears
British comedy legend John Cleese has announced he will be avoiding British Columbia during an upcoming Canadian theatrical tour, citing concerns about potential prosecution for criticism of gender ideology. The 86-year-old comedian made the declaration in a social media post on Saturday, responding to recent developments involving the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal.
Substantial Fine Against Former School Trustee Sparks Concern
Cleese's decision comes in response to a February 18 ruling by the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal that ordered former Chilliwack school trustee Barry Neufeld to pay $750,000 to an unnamed consortium of transgender teachers. The 143-page decision found that Neufeld had engaged in "extremely serious and damaging" speech by publicly questioning provincial policies regarding gender identity.
The tribunal specifically cited Neufeld's stated belief that "separating gender identity from assigned biological sex is a fiction and an 'ideology' to be opposed" as a violation. The decision characterized this as transgender "erasure" and established that anyone in British Columbia echoing similar views could face similar sanctions under the B.C. Human Rights Code.
Cleese's Public Response and Previous Commentary
"What a pity! I'm arranging a theatrical tour of Canada this Fall, and now I won't be able to risk doing any shows in British Columbia," Cleese wrote in his social media post. "I was really looking forward to coming."
This is not the first time Cleese has commented on gender identity policies. In 2020, he wrote in a social media post: "deep down, I want to be a Cambodian police woman. Is that allowed, or am I being unrealistic?" The comedian has previously mocked policies of self-identified gender in various public statements.
Broader Implications for Performers and Non-Citizens
The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal has established precedent for pursuing cases against both non-citizens like Cleese and comedians making comments as part of their performances. In 2011, the tribunal ordered comedian Guy Earle to pay $15,000 to an audience member who alleged "lasting physical and psychological effect" from objection to his comedy set.
Neufeld, a long-serving trustee for the Chilliwack School District, had been an early public critic of efforts to enshrine gender identity within the B.C. school curriculum. His case before the tribunal was brought by the B.C. Teachers Federation specifically because of his position and influence within the educational system.
Legal Framework and Freedom of Expression Concerns
The tribunal decision established that "a person does not need to believe in Christianity to accept that another person is Christian. However, to accept that a person is transgender, one must accept that their gender identity is different than their sex assigned at birth." This legal interpretation has raised concerns among free speech advocates about the boundaries of acceptable commentary on gender ideology in British Columbia.
Cleese, one of four surviving members of the legendary Monty Python sketch comedy troupe and creator of the classic British sitcom Fawlty Towers, represents a high-profile case of artistic self-censorship in response to these legal developments. His decision to avoid British Columbia highlights growing tensions between freedom of expression protections and human rights legislation regarding gender identity discourse in Canada.
