Sister June Cleavage on the Dodgers’ debacle, community service and standing strong in our convictions
BY MARK ARIEL | PHOTO BY DUSTI CUNNINGHAM
By now—I’m sure most of you know the story. But for those who have not been following the fiasco—here’s a brief recap.
The Los Angeles Dodgers faced enormous backlash over their decision last month to disinvite the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence from their annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night. The decision came after pressure from—of course—extremist right wing groups.
Following the backlash from the community (the LA LGBT Center notified the Dodgers they would back out of the event if the Sisters were not reinstated) the team reversed course. They apologized to the group and extended a new invitation for it to attend the festivities, which are scheduled to be held on June 16 at Dodger Stadium. The Sisters have accepted the invitation.
The Dodgers will be presenting the group with a Community Hero Award—the same award the Sisters had previously been in line to receive.
Since their first appearance in San Francisco on Easter Sunday, 1979, the Sisters have devoted themselves to community service, ministry and outreach to those on the edges, and to promoting human rights, respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment. Throughout the years the Sisters have raised funds for AIDS, LGBTQ-related causes and mainstream community service organizations.
In an interview with THE FIGHT Los Angeles Board VP Sister June Cleavage talks about her personal involvement with the group.
“I attended my first meeting in May of 2016, mere weeks before the tragic attack at Pulse. I had been casually involved in charity work before, but felt the need to do something meaningful for a community that had given me so much love and acceptance. I was able to sit in on a panel that the Sisters hosted at Rupaul’s DragCon, and the mission and the message hit home like a bolt of lightning,” reveals June.
“You want to have Pride, you accept all of us. Not just the ‘palatable’ parts, or the ‘fun’ parts. We need our allies to stand beside us when it gets tough. Tolerance is no longer enough, we deserve full acceptance and joyful celebration.”
“There was just one, teensy little issue. Me. I am a cisgender, straight, female. Where did I fit in to this mix? Was I even going to be allowed? Which in hindsight is silly, as the Sisters welcomed me with open arms—as they do for everyone. Because, as we say, if there’s room in the world for me to look like THIS, then there is room for you to be whoever you are too. So I became a lady drag nun!”
Regarding the Sisters’ initial reaction to the Dodger’s disinvitation, June reveals that “primarily we were saddened that people outside of our community had the opportunity and means to pressure an organization to control who, and what, is celebrated at an event designed to showcase the joy and diversity of our community.”
“We do not do what we do for awards and accolades, though don’t get me wrong they are accepted with great humility and joy. The loss of this opportunity was not going to prevent us from continuing with our work.”
“What we did not expect was the ferocious outpouring of love and support that came in buckets quickly after the announcement. Both from the event co-sponsors and people all around the globe.”
“We, as a community, have fought a version of this battle many times, in varying scale,” states June. “But we also know that we survive and thrive when we do what we do best—band together and lift ourselves up.”
“We have always faced these kinds of pressures, perhaps most famously during the vote for Prop 8… We must stand strong in our convictions, rally our allies, and be willing to come from a place of reeducation and unified messaging,” says June.
“You want to have Pride, you accept all of us. Not just the ‘palatable’ parts, or the ‘fun’ parts. We need our allies to stand beside us when it gets tough. Tolerance is no longer enough, we deserve full acceptance and joyful celebration.”
