The Los Angeles Dodgers have been facing major league backlash after inviting a drag group to attend the team’s Pride Night game. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were initially invited to be honored at the pride-themed night but was uninvited after public pushback. This past week the Dodgers changed their minds a second time, once again inviting the drag group back to the event.
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is self-described as a “leading-edge Order of queer and trans nuns.’ Videos of their performances have gone viral for their harsh satirizing of Catholic and Christian communities.
After initially removing the group from the Pride Night event, the Dodgers reinvited the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence last week and issued an apology. Their apology of the rescinded invite came after several LGBTQ+ groups threatened to not participate in the event.
The Dodgers star pitcher Clayton Kershaw is not on board with the decision. In response to his team honoring the drag group, he has helped bring back the “Christian Faith and Family Day.”
“I don’t agree with making fun of other people’s religions. It has nothing to do with anything other than that. I just don’t think that, no matter what religion you are, you should make fun of somebody else’s religion. So that’s something that I definitely don’t agree with.”
“This has nothing to do with the LGBTQ community or Pride or anything like that,” Kershaw added. “This is simply a group that was making fun of a religion, that I don’t agree with.”
Kershaw said that after talking with his wife and family, they decided this was the best response. The pitcher wants to shine light on his own beliefs rather than condemn others.
Kershaw isn’t the only player who was disappointed with the team’s leadership. Blake Treinen, another Dodgers pitcher, also made a statement about the decision.
“I am disappointed to see the Sister’s of Perpetual Indulgence being honored as heroes at Dodger Stadium. Many of their performances are blasphemous, and their work only displays hate and mockery of Catholics and the Christian faith… I understand that playing baseball is a privilege, and not a right. My convictions in Jesus Christ will always come first.”
Nigel asks what would happen if the tables were turned?
“Make no mistake, if this was some sort of group that made fun of the Muslim religion- could you imagine the outcry? I mean, could you imagine the backlash? …it’s a double-standard and it’s easy to see what going on here really.”
Kershaw does not plan to boycott the Pride Night event on June 16th.
Listen to Hammer and Nigel discuss the Dodgers’ decision here:
