The L.A. Pride organization announced it would no longer partake in the Dodgers LGBTQ+ celebration after the team’s decision to exclude the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

Pride had partnered with the Dodgers for 10 seasons, helping put together the stadium event that typically included special guests from the LGBTQ+ community.

A statement was put out by L.A. Pride, explaining their decision made in support of the excluded drag organization:

“As a longstanding partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, we are very disappointed in their decision to rescind their invitation to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to be honored at the 10th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night. As a result and in solidarity with our community, LA Pride will not be participating in this year’s Dodgers Pride Night event.

“Pride is a fight for equality and inclusion for the entire LGBTQ+ community and we’re not going to stop now. Let’s make this year’s Pride celebration louder than ever.”

 

The Dodgers announced that it would exclude the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, after having planned to honor them with the Community Hero Award. The Dodgers pointed to “controversy” around the drag organization, as religious groups and Florida Senator Marco Rubio spoke out against their inclusion in the Dodgers celebration.

“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 said in a statement Wednesday.

The Sisters responded by saying they were “disappointed” in the Dodgers decision and called their opposition “unfamiliar with our work.”

“We wish to point out that though our LGBTQIA community is currently being assailed by a small group of extremists attempting to roll back society’s progress, they are a tiny minority and do not represent the majority of Americans’ commitment to a country that lives side by side in our great melting pot,” the Sisters said in a statement Wednesday. “Our work speaks for us. We do not serve to receive awards or accolades.”

The Los Angeles LGBT Center called on the Dodgers to change their decision on the Sisters or cancel the night altogether.

“We want the Dodgers ally ship to be consistent with our experience partnering with them over the past many years,” the LGBT Center said in a statement. “The people of Los Angeles County have consistently and overwhelmingly shown up for LGBTQ+ equality. If one of our most beloved institutions—the Dodgers—refuses to stand by us at this moment, we are terrified of what will come next.”

Former Long Beach Mayor and current Rep. Robert Garcia (CA-42) called the Dodgers’ decision shameful and called for a boycott of the event.

“At a time when the Dodgers should be embracing the strength of our diversity, they are instead trying to divide our LGBTQ+ community,” Rep. Garcia said. “Los Angeles is better than this cowardice and deserves better from the Dodgers. Our community should boycot this ‘pride night’ and protest this decision. We’ll see if they choose to be on the right side of history.”

The Dodgers LGBTQ+ Pride Night was scheduled for June 16.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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