Who are those people dressed up like drag queen nuns!?
We are sure by now that people are wondering who exactly are the SOIL Sisters and who exactly are The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (SPI), also called Order of Perpetual Indulgence (OPI) is a charity, protest, and street performance organization that uses drag and religious imagery to call attention to sexual intolerance and satirizes issues of gender and morality. Upon their move to San Francisco from Iowa City in 1979, a small group of gay men in San Francisco began wearing the attire of nuns in visible situations using camp to draw attention to social conflicts and problems in the Castro District. Those amazing Sisters were: Sister Vicious Power Hungry Bitch (or, more commonly, Vicious PHB), Reverend Mother, Sister Missionary Position and Sister Hysterectoria-Agnes.
The Sisters have grown throughout the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe, and South America, and are currently organized as an international network of orders, which are mostly non-profit charity organizations that raise money for AIDS, LGBT-related causes, and mainstream community service organizations, while promoting safer sex and educating others about the harmful effects of drug use and other risky behavior.
Now on to the SOIL Sisters because well....it's our page and we should be adored as well! In 2020 amidst the onset of the COVID 19 Pandemic, Sister Fagetha Hardness answered the call of the glittery veil and joined the Fourth City Sisters in St. Louis, MO. It was not until their first official manifestation at a Southern Illinois Pride Event that the need for the Sisters in this rural, extremely non LGBTQIA+ inclusive environment showed itself and the desire to start a house was born. Under the moniker of a Fourth City Sister that Sister Fagetha Hardness began to map their plan to start an Aspirant House; a house that is aspiring to become a Mission House. The original four founders were: Sister Fagetha Hardness, Sister Mothra Stewart, Sister Gay Bitch Milkshake and Sister Toggof Tuls Reeuq. They laid the groundwork for our house to grow and evolve.
In August of 2021 we finally officially became an Aspirant House and were soon joined by Sisters Jewnita Hug and Kitty Sprinkles (former members of The Fourth City Sisters) and our journey began. Aided by our connections to Rainbow Cafe (shockingly they dont serve coffee!) and Southern Illinois University of Carbondale, we found many opportunities to service our community through outreach and ministry as a means of promoting human rights and respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment under the original idea of being called The Saluki Sisters. Drag shows, pageants, picnics in November were our venues. Tiktok, Facebook and Twitter our means of social outreach. Those beginning months seemed filled with all the busy work needed to declare to the SPI that we were indeed serious of our desire to be recognized as a house. In December of 2021 our hard work and dedication was acknowledged and we became a Mission House - a house proving its worth. And that is where we find ourselves now.
We are the SOIL Sisters: The dirtiest hoes of the Sacred Heartland and we are here to be a beacon for our queer community. We are here to be the weirdest bunch in the room, so you don't have to be. We want the community who tries to silence us to know that we are loud and proud and GAY AS HELL!. If you see us out and about stop us and say hi, ask for a bliss kit or two. If you need a Sister or two at an event let us know! We are more than happy to show up, serve community and do the good work! And...if the work calls to you join us. Be the change that Southern Illinois desperately needs!
To quote our amazing Sister Mothra Stewart. This IS a good thing!
Namaste Gay!
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (SPI), also called Order of Perpetual Indulgence (OPI) is a charity, protest, and street performance organization that uses drag and religious imagery to call attention to sexual intolerance and satirizes issues of gender and morality. Upon their move to San Francisco from Iowa City in 1979, a small group of gay men in San Francisco began wearing the attire of nuns in visible situations using camp to draw attention to social conflicts and problems in the Castro District. Those amazing Sisters were: Sister Vicious Power Hungry Bitch (or, more commonly, Vicious PHB), Reverend Mother, Sister Missionary Position and Sister Hysterectoria-Agnes.
The Sisters have grown throughout the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe, and South America, and are currently organized as an international network of orders, which are mostly non-profit charity organizations that raise money for AIDS, LGBT-related causes, and mainstream community service organizations, while promoting safer sex and educating others about the harmful effects of drug use and other risky behavior.
Now on to the SOIL Sisters because well....it's our page and we should be adored as well! In 2020 amidst the onset of the COVID 19 Pandemic, Sister Fagetha Hardness answered the call of the glittery veil and joined the Fourth City Sisters in St. Louis, MO. It was not until their first official manifestation at a Southern Illinois Pride Event that the need for the Sisters in this rural, extremely non LGBTQIA+ inclusive environment showed itself and the desire to start a house was born. Under the moniker of a Fourth City Sister that Sister Fagetha Hardness began to map their plan to start an Aspirant House; a house that is aspiring to become a Mission House. The original four founders were: Sister Fagetha Hardness, Sister Mothra Stewart, Sister Gay Bitch Milkshake and Sister Toggof Tuls Reeuq. They laid the groundwork for our house to grow and evolve.
In August of 2021 we finally officially became an Aspirant House and were soon joined by Sisters Jewnita Hug and Kitty Sprinkles (former members of The Fourth City Sisters) and our journey began. Aided by our connections to Rainbow Cafe (shockingly they dont serve coffee!) and Southern Illinois University of Carbondale, we found many opportunities to service our community through outreach and ministry as a means of promoting human rights and respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment under the original idea of being called The Saluki Sisters. Drag shows, pageants, picnics in November were our venues. Tiktok, Facebook and Twitter our means of social outreach. Those beginning months seemed filled with all the busy work needed to declare to the SPI that we were indeed serious of our desire to be recognized as a house. In December of 2021 our hard work and dedication was acknowledged and we became a Mission House - a house proving its worth. And that is where we find ourselves now.
We are the SOIL Sisters: The dirtiest hoes of the Sacred Heartland and we are here to be a beacon for our queer community. We are here to be the weirdest bunch in the room, so you don't have to be. We want the community who tries to silence us to know that we are loud and proud and GAY AS HELL!. If you see us out and about stop us and say hi, ask for a bliss kit or two. If you need a Sister or two at an event let us know! We are more than happy to show up, serve community and do the good work! And...if the work calls to you join us. Be the change that Southern Illinois desperately needs!
To quote our amazing Sister Mothra Stewart. This IS a good thing!
Namaste Gay!