text and photo by Ben Brackin - Vol 3 Issue 33

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are modern nuns dedicated to the promulgation of universal joy and the expiation of stigmatic guilt. The Sisterhood is a nonprofit 501(c)3, so they are active in the community raising funds for AIDS charities and fighting for Queer rights and visibility.

Years ago I glossed over a picture of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence performing a healing ceremony on revolutionary film maker Derek Jarman. I was intrigued, but didn't see much of them for the years since, so I put them out of my mind. That was until I spotted member of the local order, the Abbey of Saint Joan, marching in the Seattle Gay Pride Parade this year. Imagine my excitement. I elbowed my way to the front of the crowd to obtain one of the Condom Saviors they were passing out as parade favors.

Ever the journalist, I wasted little time in going to the web site for the Abbey of Saint Joan listed on the Savior Condom and got in contact with the Sister Dawna Creation. She invited me to join the Sisters at the Cuff Complex to celebrate their ninth anniversary Beach Ball. This gave me the opportunity to observe not only our local sisters in action, but a large contingent of sisters from the newly formed Portland order attending the Ball as well.

The Beach Ball was a gala event held in the patio section of the Cuff Complex. The patio was bedecked fishnets with plastic sea creatures. There were two plastic wading pools and a couple of inflatable swimming pool rafts, all of which kept well with the beach theme. The festivities included a couple saintings and veiling of a new fully professed Sister of Perpetual Indulgence. There was a wet t-shirt contest and a wet undie contest. If that wasn't enough, there were the one dollar jell-o shots that really lit up my night. I may have forgotten exact details, but I do recall doing a good many mouth to mouth jell-o shots with one of the sisters who will remain nameless; a gentleman never tells.

Just to keep you from thinking that the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are your typical rowdy bunch of hard partying nuns, I spoke with Sister Eva Destruction of the Abbey Saint Joan about what sisterhood is.

What is the Sisterhood of Perpetual Indulgence?
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are an organization of men and women dedicated to the promulgation of universal joy and the expiation of stigmatic guilt—which means that we work to bring joy to our community and relieve people of misplaced guilt.

Is the sisterhood an official religious order and/or associated with any official religion?
Although we are not affiliated with any religion, each member has their own spirituality or moral code that they bring to the group.

What are the requirements of becoming a sister, are there gender, lifestyle and sexual orientation, and/or religious requirements? In short, do you have to be drag queen to be a sister? I noticed that a couple of the Seattle sisters were women, and all of the Portland sisters were queens, do the requirements vary by region?
ANYONE who feels committed to helping their community is welcome...the dress code is strictly enforced.

How and why did you get involved with the sisterhood and decide to become a sister?
I discovered the sisters about 10 years ago, and was captivated by the combination of unity and individuality that each member displayed. The costuming was so unique and dramatic that I wanted to learn more. When I found out about the sisters' mission and how each member sacrifices their ego to benefit the community, I saw it as an exciting blend of fun and community service.

What does being a sister entail, what is expected of you as a sister?
We are a volunteer organization so each Sister is expected to give what they can. Our greatest tools are our ability to listen, help, and support those who ask it of us. We work as a collective with each member donating their skills, talent and time to benefit a greater whole.

What is your religion, and how does your involvement with the sisterhood relate to your spirituality?
Personally, I was raised in a Judeo-Christian environment. My parents had us experience a variety of different religions so we could choose on our own when we were old enough. From that, though I'm not partial to any one religion, I do have a strong spiritual sense and feel that a core of most religious teachings is to help where you can and do good when the need is there. That simple rule fits well with the mission of the Sisters.

For more information about the Abbey of Saint Joan and the Sisterhood in general check out www.theabbey.com on-line.