CA Senate Dems honor drag ‘nuns’ post Dodgers fiasco.

California Democrats Honor LGBT Group Despite Controversy

Democrats in the California State Senate honored members of an LGBT group that uses sexualized Christian imagery Monday, weeks after the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team was embroiled in controversy for inviting the same group to its annual Pride Night.

The Democratic members of the Senate invited Michael Williams, a member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence who uses the stage name Sister Roma, to the state Capitol in Sacramento Monday to mark the beginning of June, which the state recognizes as Pride Month.

This invitation comes just weeks after the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were uninvited and then re-invited by the Los Angeles Dodgers to receive the team’s Community Hero Award during its annual Pride Night. Despite condemnation from numerous Christian and Catholic groups who say the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence perpetuate anti-Catholic sentiments and mock religious nuns, the California Democrats went ahead with their plans.

Outrage from Catholic Groups and Republicans

Bill Donohue, the president of the Catholic League, blasted the Democrats in the California State Legislature for inviting the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, saying the event “proves” the Democratic Party is anti-Catholic.

“Throughout much of the last century, the Democrats were the Catholic-friendly party,” Donohue said. “That changed in the 1970s, and in recent years it has become increasingly inhospitable to Catholics. Now it is openly anti-Catholic. This event proves it. The only difference between these California Democrats and the Ku Klux Klan is that the latter promotes violence. But non-violent bigotry is not only intolerable, it abets its violent manifestations.”

Republicans in the California legislature likewise called the decision to honor Williams “inappropriate and contrary to the values we hold dear” and called on Democrats to rescind the invitation, a request which went unheeded.

Democrats Stand by Their Decision

Despite the backlash, Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener, an outspoken gay lawmaker from San Francisco, tweeted an image of himself with Williams and other members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

“Kicking off our Capitol Pride celebration with the amazing Sister Roma and other Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,” Wiener tweeted. “We’re honoring Sister Roma and other badass LGBTQ community leaders from around California.”

It remains to be seen whether this controversy will have any lasting impact on the relationship between the Democratic Party and the Catholic community in California.