Dodgers Apologize, Reverse Ban on Drag Group the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

The Dodgers are issuing a mea culpa.

L.A.’s Major League Baseball team whipped up a firestorm of controversy after rescinding an invite made to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence — a charitable drag group that dresses like nuns — to accept a “community hero award” on the field of Dodger Stadium at LGBTQ+ Pride Night on June 16.

But the Dodgers issued an apology and reversal of that decision on Monday.

“After much thoughtful feedback from our diverse communities, honest conversations within the Los Angeles Dodgers organization and generous discussions with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the Los Angeles Dodgers would like to offer our sincerest apologies to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, members of the LGBTQ+ community and their friends and families,” a statement posted to Twitter read.

In its own statement, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence said, “This morning our Abbess, Sister Dominia, and another board member, Sister Bearonce Knows, met with the Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten … A full apology and explanation was given to us by the Dodgers staff which we accept. … May the games be blessed!”

The original decision to disinvite the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and rescind its award came in response to complaints made by the Catholic League and other Catholic groups and leaders, which accused the organization of being an “anti-Catholic hate group” which “mocks the process of becoming a Catholic nun.”

Florida Senator Marco Rubio echoed those sentiments, going so far as to fire off a letter to Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred claiming “the ‘sisters’ are men who dress in lewd imitation of Roman Catholic nuns. The group’s motto, ‘go and sin some more,’ is a perversion of Jesus’s command to ‘go, and sin no more.’”

According to the Los Angeles Times, the team offices and Manfred’s own offices were inundated with phone calls from Catholics outraged over the decision to host the group.

But within the Dodger organization, LGBTQ and ally employees were equally outraged at the slight. The L.A. LGBT Center issued a boycott of Pride Night, demanding it be canceled altogether. LA Pride also pulled out of the event, which was also set to honor Billie Bean, a former Dodger outfielder and one of the only Major League players to come out publicly after his playing career.

On Saturday, Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken tweeted an invitation to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to participate in Angels Pride Night at Anaheim Stadium on June 7.

But now it appears there is a path to reconciliation — at least between the Dodgers and the LGBTQ community.

The L.A. chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will accept its award “for the lifesaving work they have done tirelessly for decades” at the June 16 event, which marks the 10th anniversary of Pride Nights at Dodger Stadium.

The team also pledges to “better educate ourselves” and “use our platform to support all of our fans” going forward.

Founded in San Francisco in 1979, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were one of the first groups to fundraise and provide community outreach in response to the AIDS crisis. In the time since, they have raised over $1 million for various causes affecting the LGBTQ+ community.