Holy Order Sin Sity Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Inc. ascribes to a different order, one that combines fun with charity, community outreach, ministry, social activism, sex-positive education, and disease prevention. They preach a ministry of presence at events, parades, galas—anywhere they are needed to spread the word. Bold colors, enormous headdresses, gigantic bling, and expressive makeup convey their message as fabulous performance art.
The order’s “church” is The Nunnery at The Orleans in Commercial Center, a space that includes a LGTBQAI+ art gallery and hosts events, such as Project Nunway. Sister Loosy Lust Bea Lady Sister of Sexual Craving founded the order of Sin Sity Sisters for personal reasons. Sister Loosy has been living with AIDS for 30 years and was forced to quit working in a lucrative profession in 2003. Sister Loosy quickly learned that in order to be eligible to receive services, you must be 200 to 300 percent below the poverty level.
In 2005, Sister Loosy founded the order of Sin Sity Sisters with six other sisters, inspired by the original order of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence in San Francisco. Each founding Sister characterizes one of the seven deadly sins: pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth, each represented by a symbol and a color. The Sin Sity Sisters’s space has been in The Orleans for five years and, in the past, has partnered with many artists.
“We are performance artists, and our looks and manners are what attracts people to us,” explains Sister Loosy. “This is our way of bringing our mission to people.” While events were on hold during the pandemic, the Sisters kept the work going through their digital presence. National Coming Out Day is Oct. 11, and the Sisters look forward to presenting the show Outrageous, an LGTBQAI+ art gallery show during the month of October.
