Dodgers Side With Religious Right, Kick Drag Group Out of Pride Night

The Dodgers have gone from having one of professional sports’ most anticipated Pride celebrations to being called out for hypocrisy after uninviting the queer group The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence from their Pride Night after complaints from so-called Christian groups.

The Sisters, an order of queer and trans nuns who are devoted to community service, promoting human rights, and respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment was set to receive a Community Hero Award at the June 16 game. However, that has now changed.

“This year, as a 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,” the team said in a statement.

“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.”

Those offended include Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, who said “these homosexual bigots are known for simulating sodomy while dressed as nuns.” Republican senator Marco Rubio also complained, saying the group “mocks Christians through diabolical parodies of our faith.” Catholic Vote president Brian Burch said the group is “an anti-Catholic hate group known for their gross mockery of Catholic nuns.”

Among the “gross mockery” and “diabolical parodies” of Christianity that the Sisters do are activities like visiting hospices, hosting fundraisers, teaching about safe sex and mental health, fighting for social justice, and helping the unhoused.

Already many people and organizations who were planning on attending and supporting the Dodgers Pride Night have now canceled their plans.

The ACLU SoCal commented on the issue on Twitter, saying “The Dodgers, which broke the color line in baseball in 1947 by signing Jackie Robinson, were champions of inclusion. Seventy-six years later, they take a giant step backward banning a long-standing drag charity. In unity with @SFSisters, we will not participate in Pride Night.”

The Los Angeles LGBT Center also released a statement saying they are “deeply disappointed” in the decision.

“In a year where over 400 pieces of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation are on the books – many of them targeting freedom of speech and the bodily autonomy of our community – the fight for LGBTQ+ rights is as critical as ever, and unfortunately, the Dodgers chose to bow to the religious right rather than stand with our LGBTQ community.”

The Center is calling on the Dodgers to either reconsider their decision and honor the Sisters, or cancel their Pride Night.

“Any organization that turns its back on LGBTQ+ people at this damning and dangerous inflection point in our nation’s history should not be hoisting a rainbow flag or hosting a ‘Pride Night,’” CEO Joe Hollendoner said “We want the Dodgers’ allyship to be consistent with our experience partnering with them over the past years.”