City Council of the City of West Hollywood Presents Key to the City to Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

The City Council of the City of West Hollywood presented a Key to the City to the Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. The presentation took place at a reception at Heart WeHo on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 to mark the kick-off of this year’s WeHo Pride Weekend festivities as June Pride Month begins. The Sisters accepted the Key in a stage presentation at the event.

“On behalf of my colleagues on the City Council – and in representing the City of West Hollywood – I’m happy to extend a Key to the City to the Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,” said City of West Hollywood Mayor Sepi Shyne. “We applaud the Sisters for their passionate dedication to the LGBTQ community, for tireless AIDS and HIV activism, for unequivocally crusading for the rights of all people, and for the love, laughter, and flair they inspire.”

During May 2023, the Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence became the focus of media and community attention after the Los Angeles Dodgers announced in early May that it would confer its Community Hero Award to the Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence during its 10th annual Pride Night, but then rescinded its invitation approximately two weeks later. Following conversations with LGBTQ community groups and organizations, the Dodgers reinstated its invitation with sincerest apologies to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and to members of the LGBTQ+ community and their friends and families. The Sisters accepted the apology from Dodgers leadership and will be in attendance at Dodgers Pride Night in June to receive the Community Hero Award. A senior representative from the Dodgers was in attendance at the City’s Key to the City presentation recognizing the Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

 “The Sisters share kindness, love, and laughter everywhere they go and they are an incredible source of empowerment and inspiration,” continued Mayor Shyne. “In today’s political environment, this is more important than ever. I’d like to extend a note of thanks, as well, to the Dodgers for doing the right thing in embracing LGBTQ inclusivity.”

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence have been creating positive change since their first appearance in San Francisco on Easter Sunday, 1979. Since then, the Sisters have established Orders in places such as London, Paris, Wales, and more. They have devoted themselves to community service, ministry, and outreach to those on the edges and to promoting human rights, respect for diversity, and spiritual enlightenment.

The Los Angeles Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence made their debut in Southern California in 1995 in Diana Ross’s video with RuPaul promulgating joy launching their decades-long commitment to social activism. They work to strengthen community through drag activism by raising much-needed funds for community charities and by bringing about a better understanding of gay spirituality. They also work to unite LGBTQ communities and raise drag awareness among individuals, businesses, and organizations that are often ignorant or even hostile to members of the drag population.

Since incorporation in 1984, the City of West Hollywood has become one of the most influential cities in the nation for its outspoken advocacy on LGBTQ issues. No other city of its size has had a greater impact on the national public policy discourse on fairness and inclusiveness for LGBTQ people. The City has advocated for nearly four decades for measures to support LGBTQ people and has been in the vanguard on efforts to gain and protect equality for all people on a state, national, and international level.

WeHo Pride Weekend will take place on Friday, June 2, 2023; Saturday, June 3, 2023; and Sunday, June 4, 2023 in and around West Hollywood Park. For all the latest #WeHoPride information, visit www.wehopride.com and follow @wehopride on Instagram and Facebook.

For up-to-date information about City of West Hollywood news and events, follow @wehocity on social media, sign-up for news updates at www.weho.org/email, and visit the City’s calendar of meetings and events at www.weho.org/calendar. City Hall services are accessible by phone at (323) 848-6400 and via website at www.weho.org.

For reporters and members of the media seeking additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact the City of West Hollywood’s Public Information Officer, Sheri A. Lunn, at (323) 848-6391 or slunn@weho.org.