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!