The LA Dodgers have disinvited the LA Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to their forthcoming Pride Night. They had previously said they would honor the group with a Community Hero Award.
The U-turn comes after the Catholic League and Florida Senator Marco Rubio blasted the decision. Both Rubio and the Catholic League’s President, Bill Donohue, wrote open letters to the MLB this week attacking the Dodgers’ plans. They said the drag nuns demeaned Catholics and blasted them as “diabolical” and “loathsome”.
In a statement posted online, LA Dodgers said, “In the spirit of unity, the Los Angeles Dodgers are proud to host our 10th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night on June 16th. This event has become a meaningful tradition, highlighting not only the diversity and resilience within our fanbase, but also the impactful work of extraordinary community groups.
“This year, as part of a full night of programming, we invited a number of groups to join us. We are now aware that our inclusion of one group in particular – The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence – in this year’s pride night has been the source of some controversy.
“Given the strong feelings of people who have been offended by the sisters’ inclusion in our evening, and in an effort not to distract from the great benefits that we have seen over the years of Pride Night, we are deciding to remove them from this year’s group of honorees.”
Related:
Marco Rubio is having a mini meltdown over the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence & a baseball game
Rubio blasted the non-profit for “diabolical parodies of our faith.”
The Sisters respond to the Dodgers
The LA chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence responded with a statement expressing their disappointment.
“We, the Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, were recently awarded a Community Hero Award by the Los Angeles Dodgers for our twenty-seven years of service to the LGBTQIA community. Today, we are sad to learn the Los Angeles Dodgers have chosen to rescind their award, succumbing to pressure from people outside the state of California and outside of our community. We are disappointed they have chosen to un-ally themselves with us in our ongoing service to the public, many of whom enjoy the Dodgers heroic efforts in sports.”
They went on to say they wished to clarify what their organization represents.
“We are a charity organization and we are human rights activists. Our mission is to uplift our community and all marginalized groups, especially the ones ignored by larger organizations, spiritually oriented or otherwise. We are queer nuns serving our people just as nuns of other cultures serve theirs.”
They continued, “We are both silly and serious. We use our flamboyance in service to our charity work and our message, which is ‘There is room in our world for each person to be who they are, as they are, free from shame or guilt, and alive in joy and love for their own self.’”
They pointed out that the Dodgers’ decision to rescind the offer came on International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. They said a vocal minority’s attempts to roll back “society’s progress” did not represent the majority of Americans’ views.
“Our work speaks for us. We do not serve to receive awards or accolades. We are grateful and proud when other organizations choose to acknowledge our service, yet our own focus remains on the work of removing suffering and promulgating joy.”
They ended by saying, “If being true to oneself with love, joy and pride is a sin, then we … will do what we always do. We will go out and sin some more.”
Who are the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence?
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence first formed in San Francisco in 1979. Originally a group of gay men in nun-like drag, they preached about the benefits of living authentic lives and warned against the dangers of religious moralizing. They now welcome members of all genders.
They evolved into a unique mixture of federally recognized non-profit, protest group, and street performance troupe. It has “missions” around the world. The different branches have helped to raise thousands of dollars for community causes. They are widely beloved amongst the queer community, with many remembering how they were amongs the first to step up and organize fundraisers when the AIDS epidemic first hit in the 1980s.
Sister Roma, of the San Francisco Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, was among those to also express disappointment.
Celebrating the Dodgers’ decision was GOP Senator Marco Rubio. On Twitter, he re-shared the Dodgers’ statement and said, “For once, common sense prevailed in California.”
The Catholic League also claimed it as a “victory”.
Dodgers’ decision prompts fury
Online, the Dodgers’ decision has prompted anger among many fans.
“Happy Pride, we uninvited the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence?” Oooh that’s some evil sh. The sisters ARE Pride. You’re just trying to make money. Pride is about inclusion smh
— Aaliyah Love🎀 (@AaliyahLove69) May 18, 2023
I've been a fan since 81, and I've sat through a whole lot of stuff you guys have promoted that was offensive to ME, but I knew was important to others. I'm very disappointed in this organization today. Bauer signing was Strike 1 for new ownership, this is Strike 2. Shame on you.
— Connor Young (@YNOTConnor) May 18, 2023
What a shame. I praised you a tweet ago for doing what was right. Now you're just going back on your word about inclusivity. Boo. Hiss.
— Sir Chauncey (@DJChaunceyD) May 17, 2023
If you can’t support all queer people, don’t pretend to support any of them. How sad.
— Patrick Patterson (@PDPdoesTrek) May 18, 2023
Bosch
You know what’s offensive, Catholic League?
Child abuse.
If only you felt the same.
abfab
This is so depressing.
Okay. Plan B. Take the Sisters down to Florida, have them do a show at Disney and then parade up to Marco Rubio’s house or office, where ever the hell that may be and do a perfomance. A really nasty and delicious performance.
But they have to do something! I am totally bummed out.
mz.sam
Social Experiment: The SOPI should try attending that night minus the Cosplay and see what the Dodger organization will do to them.
DBMC
You want them to go in not dressed as the Sisters? Why? That’s just people walking in to a stadium.
Fahd
This whole cancel culture thing is getting out of hand. Caving in to a miniscule, albeit vocal, minority is a mistake, especially since corporations like the Dodgers should be on the leading edge of community inclusion, not exclusion.
Shame on the Dodgers management, and I hope their players will take a knee during the national anthem until the Sisters are un-uninvited.
Btw, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence no doubt outnumber the number of actual nuns remaining in the Los Angeles Diocese – a fact to ponder. In any case, Get a f*cking sense of humour, Dodger management!
RIGay
How absurdly disappointing.
Man About Town
Jeez, how ironic can you get? The whole point of the event is to celebrate pride and inclusivity, particularly in the face of homophobic bigotry. So they uninvite the group they were planning on honoring because of “strong feelings” on the part of homophobic bigots Rubio & Donahue?
I guess it doesn’t matter that they live 3,000 miles from Dodger Stadium. Just pitiful!
Kangol2
So disgusting and typical of the corporate cowardice out there today. But we’ll see endless op-ed pieces about “cancel culture” and the Left, while the fragile, snowflake, hate-filled right-wingers not only bully organizations like the LA Dodgers, who play before one the largest and most diverse cities and regions in the world, but pass speech-canceling and banning laws, threaten teachers and parents, try to overthrow governments, and more. The Dodgers should take a page from Disney and fight back against this right-wing “cancel culture” crap!
Openminded
I believe it’s mostly corporate ignorance. Higher ups probably asked for suggestions on recipients, picked the Sisters without any vetting to see if there may be an issue, then caved after the 3rd dissenting phone call without considering what the whole night was about. Shows a huge lack of commitment by dodgers to actually know about and support the theme for that night.
Kangol2
Hi Openminded, I do hear what you’re saying but this isn’t the first go-round with the Dodgers and LGBTQ events. They also represent one of the largest and most diverse cities in the US, and have many LGBTQ fans. Dropping the Sisters because of protests from a fringe right-wing Catholic loudmouth and a hypocritical US Senator from Florida, not anyone from the Los Angeles area, or even California for that matter, is particularly cowardly. Gay Dodgers fans should let them know in no uncertain terms how appalling their response to the fanatics was and is.
DBMC
They’re cowards.
The Sisters have a long history of service and helping people. Marco Rubio can’t say that.
GentlemanCaller
The same people who have spent decades shunning LGBT children, ignoring AIDS patients, fighting against marriage equality, and sexually abusing little boys now get to decide who is allowed to appear at LGBT events? Apparently we lost and we’re all Floridians now.
Mack
It’s sad since Magic Johnson’s son- EJ is a member of our community. MJ is a minority owner.
Kangol2
Magic Johnson should speak up about this, but the O’Malley family and the entire ownership team needs to push back against Donohue and the phony Rubio.
abfab
Exactly. I hope Q keeps the world informed on the goings-ons of these ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS SISTERS!
RoyM
Wow! Straight men in sports are hate-driven homophobic bigots. Who knew?
wikidBSTN
Wow – talk about going overboard. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, bud.
abfab
It’s not the overpaid jocks who dictate these things. Here’s something about the CEO.
Advocate for social justice? What a load of bullshit.
Mark Walter
Owner & Chairman
Mark Walter is the chairman and controlling owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and an investor, conservationist and social-justice advocate. He also leads the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation.
Walter and his wife, Kimbra, invest the vast majority of their wealth in philanthropic causes, primarily those focused on social justice; closing the “opportunity gap” for low-income youth; and saving endangered species and preserving wild places.
Their sponsored education programs include: Chicago Beyond, OneGoal, and the Academy Group.
The Walters also own White Oak Conservation, a 17,000-acre animal refuge in Florida, and wildlife preserves in Africa, where they are funding global efforts to protect endangered species from poachers and habitat loss.
Walter is a trustee of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, Northwestern University, and the Field Museum of Natural History.
He leads businesses in areas that include sports, media and entertainment, financial services, insurance, franchises, energy, infrastructure, and real estate.
wikidBSTN
Classy response from the sisters.
abfab
Waiting for Marco’s next hissy fit…..what will she waste her precious time on this week?