LA Dodgers disinvite drag group from Pride Night

Post Reply New Topic

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced that it has rescinded its invitation to The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence from the team's upcoming Pride Night following conservative pushback

The Dodgers' 10th Pride Night, which is scheduled to take place on June 16, will feature a night of LGBTQ+ programming attended by a number of different groups, and is meant to highlight "diversity and resilience" within the Dodgers fan base — as well as "the impactful work of extraordinary community groups," according to the team.

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1979 at the start of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S., were originally among the organizations set to attend the game and receive a Community Hero Award.

"We are an Order of 30th Century Nuns dedicated to the promulgation of universal joy and the expiation of stigmatic guilt. Our ministry is one of public manifestation and habitual perpetration," reads the site for the Los Angeles chapter of the group — which is known for both its activist work and drag depictions of Catholic nuns.

In a statement posted on Wednesday to Twitter, the Dodgers wrote that the inclusion of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence had 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," continued the Dodgers' Twitter statement.

Several conservative groups, and even Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, had criticized the Sisters' inclusion.

On Monday, Rubio sent a letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, accusing the Dodgers of promoting a "woke far-left anti-Catholic agenda."

"Major League Baseball, as a private organization in a free country, can give awards to whatever groups it chooses, no matter how loathsome," Rubio wrote. "But baseball has always been tied to our nation's values, at the heart of which is faith in God. It would be an outrage and a tragedy if the MLB, in pursuit of modern, secular, and indeed anti-religious 'values,' rebuked that faith and the millions of believing fans who cherish the sport."

The inclusion of the Sisters on Pride Night also drew the ire of The Catholic League, a Christian organization that has in the past railed against "The Golden Compass" movie, Nicki Minaj's 2012 Grammy performance and the use of the word "Holidays" on one of George W. Bush's White House Christmas cards as being anti-Catholic.

When the Dodgers announced it would no longer host the Sisters, the league wrote, "Justice was done in the end. There is no room for anti-Catholic bigotry in any gay or trans celebratory event."

The Dodgers' Wednesday announcement was met again with backlash, as people criticized the team's decision to cave to pressure from outside groups, who they felt were misrepresenting the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence's work.

Local politicians also condemned the choice, with Los Angeles County Supervisor, Lindsey P. Horvath writing on Twitter, "If they're not invited, I'm not going. Celebrating Pride is about inclusion. Do better."

Additionally, the Los Angeles LGBT Center has removed itself from the event. In a statement posted on Twitter, the Center also called on the Dodgers to cancel its Pride Night entirely "unless they rectify this error."

The Los Angeles Dodgers reversed course and reinvited a group known for its queer and drag membership to its Pride Night event after it faced blowback over its last-minute exclusion.

The team announced the move Monday, saying the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence has agreed to appear at the event June 16 at Dodger Stadium during a game against San Francisco.

"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," the team said.

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, established in San Francisco in 1979, was expected to accept the night's Community Hero Award.

Los Angeles LGBT Center CEO Joe Hollendoner said in a statement Monday that the team's mea culpa was "a step in the right direction."

"Last week’s debacle underscores the dangerous impact of political tactics by those who seek to stoke the flames of anti-LGBTQ bias at a time when our rights are under attack," he said. "We must continue to stand together.

Human and civil rights are for all humans regardless of which way they vote. Pretty universal apolitical stuff.

Agreed, that's not really my criticism of the Dodgers. By wavering like they did they send the message that they don't really stand for anything. Who's to say they'll still be inviting the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence tomorrow?

Taking a stand for human rights shouldn't be a brave position, but once an entity takes it they need to stand by it.

While I don't disagree, my post was in response to a few posts that have since been deleted. Something about trans/civil/human rights being political, which is crazy because they should exist and be upheld by all regardless of political affiliations.

If somebody complains will the Dodgers disinvite the group today? I am thinking of a common insult to describe the Dodgers but considering the circumstances it would be particularly inappropriate to use it.

How about dips**ts? w*kers? f***heads?

How about dips**ts? w*kers? f***heads?

No, I was thinking of a term that describes people easily intimidated.

draft dodgers?
cadet bone spurs?