My cousin has lived his entire life in a tiny town in Massachusetts. He’d only been out of that state a few times before he came to visit us in California. At the time (a dozen years ago) I enjoyed giving folks tours of San Francisco. The first day, we would drive over Bay Bridge, have tea at the Japanese Tea Gardens, lunch at the Cliff House and then drive over the Golden Gate Bridge to end the day in Sausalito.
On the second day we would take the BART to the Powell Street station and grab a trolley over the steep hills to Fisherman’s Wharf.
On the second day of my cousin’s visit he confessed that he really wanted to see the Haight Ashbury district instead of Fisherman’s Wharf. I could have told him that area’s not what it was back in the hippie days of yore but I figured he probably just wanted to tell his buddies back home that he’d been there.
We had to take a city bus that passed through many iconic SF neighborhoods all filled with people going about their business on a sunny day. After several blocks, my cousin turned to me and asked “Where are all the gays?” I guess he thought that there were no straight people left in San Francisco and that gay men dressed like this every day.
He certainly didn’t mean it in any way negative. If there’s one person on earth who doesn’t judge others, it’s my cousin. He’s spent too much of his life branded as hopeless to ever judge another human being. He’d just gotten the idea from the media that San Francisco was a human zoo filled with zoned-out hippies and flaming drag queens roaming the streets for the amusement of out of town visitors. Instead he saw businessmen in suits and families out and about. Even a straight couple here and there holding hands.
I can understand my cousin’s misconceptions but I can’t understand politicians who should know better promoting the conspiracy theory that drag queens are out to indoctrinate the children of America. Drag queens have been around for a long long time and except for the most radical right wing evangelicals, politicians haven’t put them in jeopardy for the sake of sound bite on Fox News. Until now.
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were recently uninvited from an award ceremony meant to honor their charitable work. The reason? Influential people complained that they mocked the Catholic Church. Really? Sister Anita Blowjob and Sister Gladass? Nooo. Say it ain’t so. Here’s the thing, this group was founded in 1979 at a time when the Catholic Church shunned gays and people with AIDS. They were all going to hell. I volunteered for Make-a-Wish around that time and have seen first hand how the parents of children with AIDS … through no fault of their own … were treated by churches and communities. So sign me up Sister Irma Geddon and Sister Gard N O’Pansies. I’ll be Sister Know P’nis but Who Cares.
By the way, groups of Catholic nuns familiar with the work of the Sisters spoke up and now they will get their reward and an apology from the pansy asses who uninvited them.
Saying nothing in particular 
Whenever I think about the sameness of humans, the boring routines, I move my mind to the LGBTQ commuinity and the Drag Queens, arguably the stars of the show. Kabuki Theater, the Hindu Festival of Color, Maori Tattoos, Lao sacred facial tattoos, Halloween in L.A., and any tribe you care to pick in Africa who is serious about making themselves separate from the rest with scarification; those intricate, artistic, historic stories in skin that are beautiful, and make no mistake, they are beautiful and honored by tribal society. I’m so ashamed of my country. Many in my family fought and were wounded and died in the belief that their duty would be worth the loss. The present day attack upon individual liberty by the people who I wish no longer to name, is a death toll. A slow sounding that ruins my days. I know this, perhaps better than some, and there is absolutely nothing comforting about my ideas when my 3:00 a.m. crying starts. Yet, I can give food to the poor. They are everywhere down here and that is something for me anyway. Duke
I’m old enough to remember the AIDS epidemic and how much misinformation about the disease was out there. And how many people were destroyed by that misinformation. The Sisters have often said that the make up and costumes actually make them more approachable than if they were themselves which is a sad comment on how people are judged.
There are so many repressive and small-minded people in the world — it’s very disheartening.
We seem to be going through manufactured culture wars right now. I think everyone with sense just has to speak up and say “this is nonsense” before it gets any worse.
All rather depressing. Why do we as a species ascribed intentions to actions so often?
It’s a manufactured culture war which is the only way the GOP figures it can stay in power. We have to shout it down as nonsense.
ah how to grind my gears…
The Catholic Church has a lot to answer for as does every type of Church and religion!
Sadly religion has caused more grief, pain, aggression, hardship and wars than anything else in existence.
Glad I am a christian and an agnostic. Sign me up with the sisters bless them I be Sister Fanny Rainbow.💜💜💜
I’m probably more of a Buddhist than anything else. Glad to meet you Sister Fanny Rainbow! Much love Sister Know P’Nis!
Lol peace and love 💜💜
They sound great people. Can I be Sister Atheist Bloke?
I’m sure the Sisters would be glad to have you Sister Atheist Bloke!
Hooray!
Don’t get me started on the hypocrisy if the Catholic Church. Drag isn’t sexual, it’s all about personal empowerment… and I say more power to them.
I agree with you!
“Drag queens have been around for a long long time…” Are we to discard all of Shakespeare’s plays because men dressed as women in them? And what about movies like Some Like It Hot or Victor, Victoria or Tootsie or Mrs. Doubtfire? All family movies that haven’t ruined the moral fiber of American children. JUST SAYING…
I’m going to guess that the folks who protest drag queens don’t hang out at Shakespeare festivals. My favorite movie about drag queens is The Birdcage. I absolutely adore that movie – both French and English versions.
As a gay person living in the Bay Area since the 1980s, I appreciate your support, Jan, and your tours, demonstrating that we’re all just trying to live and love. Loved the third photo and humorous caption.
Thanks Jet. I’ve been here since 1974 and worked with so many people of all different varieties that I cannot understand prejudice at all. It pisses me off when politicians try to take us back to that awful time when people were afraid to be who they really were. Hell no! We’re not going back.
The Cathaholics have a lot to answer for! Hear me pedophile priests? Nuns who tortured and killed babies? Nuns who had babies, then killed them?
I’m sick of the hypocrisy of religions and governments.
Nice exposé, Jan!
That is true – The Sisters have nothing to be ashamed of!
Right on!
Hi Jan, your description of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence was very amusing and I salute them for the important work they are doing. The USA is in a strange place right now and I, watching from afar, feel alarmed and mystified.
The Sisters are very amusing and many of them are quite tall which makes them seem even more of a presence. Yes, my poor country is awash with evil people with evil intent right now.
I think The Sisters is a great idea.
Ugh, the whole homophobia drag queen hate is exhausting. I love the Sisters.
Did you make it to the Haight? I used to live a few blocks from there, on Fulton at Masonic, and used to love walking over and looking in the shops. Now it seems to be more run down and corporate at the same time, but I haven’t been in a few years.
We did get there and it was not as hip as it once was. Still I think my cousin was just happy to say he was once there.
The Catholic Church is huge. I do know a group of nuns who worked in what was basically a hospice center for men dying of AIDS. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence make fun of these women. Surely they could do charitable work without putting down others?
If people want to call out the hypocrisy in the Roman Catholic Church, I have no problem. Just target it appropriately. Which men, which women exactly are homophobic? Certainly not all. Some-absolutely.