The Dodgers are walking back their ban on the drag group Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and have invited them again to be part of LGBTQ+ Pride Night.
“After much thoughtful feedback from diverse communities, honest conversations within the Los Angeles Dodgers organization and generous discussions with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, 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,” read a statement from the MLB team.
The group had been disinvited from the annual event after the Dodgers received pressure from conservative Catholic organizations claiming they were “mocking” them. Backlash from the LGBTQ+ community ensued after the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were excluded from Pride Night as it goes against the foundation of what the event is about — inclusivity.
In the statement, the Dodgers said that the group had accepted their invite and would attend the 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,” the statement continued. “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 family.”
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence said in their own statement that they had accepted the apology from the Dodgers organization as they “believe the apology is sincere because the Dodgers have worked for 10 years with our community and as well they have asked us to continue an ongoing relationship with them.”
In the aftermath of the group being dropped by the Dodgers, the mayor of Anaheim invited them to make an appearance at the Los Angeles Angels’ upcoming pride night event.
“I’m inviting the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to join me for @Angels Pride Night at Anaheim Stadium on June 7,” Mayor Ashleigh Aitken tweeted over the weekend. “Pride should be inclusive and like many, I was disappointed in the Dodgers decision.”
