My Dodgers…
“The Dodgers have always championed diversity and inclusion as core values, and we’re honored to showcase our dedication to fostering an inclusive environment both on and off the field during our tenth annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night.
Erik Braverman Senior VP Marketing Communications, Community Relations & Broadcasting
That’s my team! The same team that broke the Color Barrier when it signed Jackie Robinson to play professional baseball. A bold move that changed professional sports forever. A storied franchise that, in my eyes, did things the right way and made me so proud to be a fan.
My favorite professional Baseball team has recently been embroiled in a bit of LGBTQ controversy. June 16, 2023 marks their 10th celebration of Pride night at Dodger Stadium. Many local and national groups were invited. Some local groups were to receive awards for their community involvement. The “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” (Sisters) was one such group. But they were removed for “satirical representations of Catholicism.” There were “strong feelings” from the people that were offended that forced the Dodger’s hand. People such as the Catholic Church and political figures such as Senator Marco Rubio of Florida. They bowed to the pressure.
Of course, this led to outcry from the pro-LGBTQ+ groups and for them to bow out in support of the Sisters. Los Angeles LGBTQ Center, Los Angeles Pride and the ACLU of Southern California all withdrew from the Pride Night festivities. More support came from Anaheim mayor Ashleigh Aitken when she went on the record to say that she would invite the group, the Sisters, to the Angel’s Pride night. After some careful deliberation, the Sisters of Perpetual indulgence have been reinstated to the Dodger’s Pride Night after support from progressives changed the Dodger minds, again. Fortunately, all other groups have agreed to rejoin as well.
Since this turn of events, Dodger pitcher Clayton Kershaw has expressed his displeasure at the inclusion of this group. His objections stem from their poking fun at Christianity. He said “This has nothing to do with the LGBTQIA+ community or Pride or anything like that. This is simply a group that was making fun of a religion, that I don’t agree with.”
This is from the San Francisco Chronicle about the group, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence:
Since their founding in San Francisco in 1979, the group known for Catholic chic drag, philanthropy and street theatre has engaged in joy and peaceful protest on behalf of the disenfranchised and powerless. A Chronicle archive search of the Sister’s history reveals they were ahead of their time on issues now entrenched in our city’s culture and identity, showed no malice to others and almost always responded to hate with love.”
Later in the article the author Peter Hartlaub goes on to say:
“My largest takeaway from observing the Sisters since then is that they show up and do the work…When the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are involved in an event in San Francisco, it’s a sign the joy is being embraced and everyone is welcome.”
Shortly after this, Clayton Kershaw, announced that they will be bringing back Christian Faith Day at Dodger Stadium. To his credit he has taken the right path by not coming out and maybe “crying foul” in the court of public opinion. To this he said, “For us, we felt like the best thing to do in response was, instead of making a statement condemning or anything like that, would be just to instead try to show what we do support, as opposed to maybe what we don’t.”
This is the response from Sister Roma of the San Francisco chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
“I, whole heartedly applaud Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers for their planned relaunch of Christian Faith and Family Day. Why shouldn’t religious Dodger fans have a special day for them? I was equally encouraged by Kershaw’s promise that he will not boycott the LGBTQ+ Pride Night, asserting that his Christian faith calls him to ‘love everybody well’…Kershaw may be surprised to learn that our mission is very much in line with the principal pf ‘loving everybody well.’ We have no hate for people of faith who do not weaponize their religion and use it to justify their own homophobia, transphobia, misogyny and racism.”
