Dodgers Disinvite LGBTQIA+ Group From Pride Night vs. Giants After Complaints

The Los Angeles Dodgers disinvited a satirical drag charity organization from their June 16 Pride Night after pressure from Catholic groups.

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, which was set to receive a Community Hero Award before the Dodgers' upcoming game against the San Francisco Giants, was removed from the event after the group was accused of mocking the Catholic faith. The Sisters describe themselves as a "leading-edge Order of queer and trans nuns."

"Given the strong feelings of people who have been offended by the sisters' inclusion in our evening, and in an effort not to distract from the great benefits that we have seen over the years of Pride Night, we are deciding to remove them from this year's group of honorees," said the Dodgers in a statement on Wednesday.

The Sisters began dressing in drag to attract attention to social causes in 1979. The group hosted what are believed to be some of the world's first AIDS fundraisers in the 1980s, per NBC News' Tim Fitzsimons. The group has been officially registered as a 501(c)3 nonprofit since 1989.

The organization's inclusion in the Dodgers' Pride Night drew criticism from religious groups like the Catholic League and CatholicVote, as well as Florida Representative Marco Rubio, who said in a letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred that the group "mocks Christians" with a "lewd imitation of Roman Catholic nuns."

In a statement condemning the Los Angeles club's decision to remove them from Pride Night, the Sisters encouraged "the LGBTQQ+ community and its allies" to email or call the Dodgers' fan feedback line and express disappointment.

"The Dodgers capitulated in response to hateful and misleading information from people outside their community," the Sisters said Thursday.

LGBTQ+ groups set to be honored on June 16, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and LA Pride, announced they will no longer be attending the Dodgers' Pride Night in solidarity with the Sisters.

"The Dodgers, which broke the color line in baseball in 1947 by signing Jackie Robinson, were champions of inclusion," wrote ACLU Southern California. "Seventy-six years later, they take a giant step backward banning a long-standing drag charity."

June 16 marks the Dodgers' 10th annual Pride Night. Last year, Los Angeles sold over 18,000 Pride Night ticket packages to the event, marking the largest Pride Night ever celebrated in pro sports.