The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence: Deviance, Justice & Art

Cathy B. Glenn, PhD; Author; Advocate; Consultant
Sister Mary Juanita High, Board Secretary & Mistress of Archives, The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, San Francisco House
Sister Zsa Zsa Glamour

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is a global charitable order of sexual orientation and identity minorities and supporters. It seeks to vanquish stigma about LGBT life and address what it sees as internalized homophobia within LGBT communities through art and social deviance. The sisters dress as nuns in drag and participate in communities in a similar fashion to traditional Catholic nuns, but with a very different message and decorum. From supporting LGBT non-profits through grant making and advocacy to supporting the marginalized on an individual level, the group has been a positive force in the LGBT community since the early days of the LGBT rights movement.

This program showcases the sisters both as social justice change agents and performance artists. The discussion will cover their goals and successes – from non-profits to individual support. There also will be a retrospective of their costumes, donned by current members, followed by a discussion.