After disinviting a non-profit drag group to its upcoming Pride Night celebrations, the LA Dodgers has backtracked with a public apology.
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a well-known order of queer and trans “nuns” who do charitable and protest work, as well as drag performances, were told they could no longer attend the event due to backlash from conservative Catholics. “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,” the Dodgers announced on 17 May.
The decision was met with widespread outrage from the LGBTQ+ community, many of which slammed the team for caving into such opposition at a time when anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and rhetoric is rife in the US and beyond. READ MORE: Drag is under attack – but these queens aren’t backing down anytime soon Following what the team described as “thoughtful feedback” and some “honest conversations”, an apology was issued to both the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and the wider LGBTQ+ community. “We have asked the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to take their place on the field at our 10th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night on June 16th.
We are pleased to share that they have agreed to receive the gratitude of our collective communities for the lifesaving work that they have done tirelessly for decades,” said a statement issued on 23 May. “In the weeks ahead, we will continue to work with our LGBTQ+ partners to better educate ourselves, find ways to strengthen the ties that bind and use our platform to support all of our fans who make up the diversity of the Dodgers