Religious protests are now being documented across social media as groups gather outside of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. The stadium will honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence this evening in honor of Pride Month.
The Sisters, who are based in San Fransisco, are a group of queer and transgender nuns who believe “all people have a right to express their unique joy and beauty.” The group raises money for marginalized groups in their community, educates audiences on the LGBTQ+ experience in religious spaces, and puts on lighthearted drag shows. The group was first chosen to be honored at Dodger at the start of Pride Month, but the stadium pulled back amid a slew of homophobic threats.
After the local Los Angeles LGBTQ+ community urged the Dodgers to fight back against bigotry and be true allies this Pride Month, the show was decided to go on. Today, the Sisters are due to arrive in Los Angeles, and several groups continue to picket the stadium.
The Protest Footage
Groups of Catholic and non-denominational Christian protestors are blocking the stadium entrance. Nuns are a typical religious order within Catholicism in the U.S., but are also present in Anglicanism and several branches of Orthodox Christianity. A video of a Jewish rabbi standing in solidarity with the Catholics is making the rounds on social media. The protestors are arguing that their religion is being “mocked.”
“If you are anti-Catholic, you’re anti-religion, you’re anti-God, I got a problem with that”
A Jewish rabbi speaks in solidarity with the Catholics outside of Dodger Stadium. The crowd has exponentially grown in size and more people are still continuing to arrive: pic.twitter.com/6WiYRIWZvp
— Savanah Hernandez (@sav_says_) June 16, 2023
Ex Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva delivered a speech mid-protest.
BREAKING NEWS: Ex Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva joins protestors of Dodgers Pride Night.
Reports of Proud Boys & anti-LGBTQ Catholics in attendance at protest.pic.twitter.com/ApQMC6YcMJ
— Los Angeles Magazine (@LAmag) June 17, 2023
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Other more extreme protestors accused the Sisters of grooming children. This is a typical homophobic tactic found in several staunchly religious communities. Social media users were quick to call these people out, reminding them that the Catholic church was recently struck by further sexual assault allegations in Illinois.
LOS ANGELES- Thousands of Catholics are now marching toward the front of Dodger Stadium chanting “Save Our Children!”
Catholic organizers shared they wanted to make a stand for Christ where everyone could see them: pic.twitter.com/WC7YL1O3n0
— Savanah Hernandez (@sav_says_) June 17, 2023
Saw Catholics and Christians trending…went to see why….99% of pedophiles are straight men…hence Catholic priests and bible school teachers. Hypocrites…when they leave their own shit out. ????
— KT (@sloyoroll01973) June 17, 2023
It is unclear whether the Dodgers game will be postponed amid the mass protests.
