Saturday, June 6, 2009

The 7 Habits of Perpetually Indulgent Sisters


In 1979, tired of the 'Castro clones' mustachioing it up in San Francisco a group of gays dressed up in full-on nun habits and took the the streets– and the gay beach on Easter Sunday. A year later, the nuns formed an order, dedicated to "to community service, ministry and outreach to those on the edges, and to promoting human rights, respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment. The Sisters believe all people have a right to express their unique joy and beauty and use humor and irreverent wit to expose the forces of bigotry, complacency and guilt that chain the human spirit."

We absolutely adore the Sisters, who spread a genderfuck positive image, whether it's at a bar or shouting from the bullhorn while protesting in the street. They're a reminder that gays and lesbians are endlessly inventive and that the message of equal love is one that ought to be spread joyously. But how can you identify one Sister from another? Here's 7 habits worth forming.

San Francisco
The mother church isn't just the inspiring light of the movement, but also it's defacto authority, making the Castro the Sisters equivalent of the Vatican.

Seattle
Dubbed the 'Abbey of St. Joan', the Seattle branch has the best explanation for how they aren't mocking nuns:
"We are often asked, “Why are you mocking nuns?” Well, we ARE nuns, silly! We recognize what “women of the cloth” have done over the centuries. They raise money for the needy, we raise money for the needy. They tend to the sick, we tend to the sick. They build their communities, we build our community. They have taken vows of celibacy, we… we have raised money for the needy. We are nuns for the 21st Century!"


New York City
The New York gals don their habit in a particularly Madonna-esque profusion of black and white sptots, making them easy to pick out in a crowd, even if the crowd were a bunch of flamboyantly attired men in nun's outfits. The group were instrumental supporters of ACT UP! during the height of the AIDS crisis in New York.

London
"The House of Common Sluts" is actually the second version of Sisterhood in the UK, after the original group disbanded. Sisters 2.0 is a bit raunchier and in your face, just the way the Brits like it.

Berlin
Dedicated to Saint Melitta, the Berlin chapter are in a mini-publishing system, producing regular online newsletters and magazines.

Phoenix
The habits of the Southwest's biggest order are shaped like the Grand Canyon or a rising phoenix, depending on your state of mind. The Sisters have a huge public presence, hosting a weekly bingo night.

Los Angeles
If those habits look familiar, it's because they're inspired by the shape of the Hollywood Bowl. The L.A Chapter devotes much of its efforts to raising money for AIDS-related charities.

No comments: