The Orlando Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

Frequently Asked Questions

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Are You Mocking Nuns?

No. . We ARE nuns. . We are not traditional nuns, mind you, but nuns in the post-modern sense of the word. . We recognize what "women of the cloth" of different traditions (Catholic, Buddhist, etc.) have done for centuries. We bring that same deep-seated "calling" to service, far beyond any convent gate or temple wall and into communities that need healing, advocacy, financial support, or just a little unconventional joy.

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I want the Sisters to come to my Charity Event! Will ya do it?

Thank you for asking!

Click Here to fill out a request form with all your event information, and specifically how we may be able to help, and we'll see if it's possible.

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What's with the Funny Hats?

It's called a coronet, and it's the base structure every Sister affixes their veil to.

Every individual house worldwide has a different coronet design, often reflecting what city that group serves.

In Orlando, our coronet is shaped like a big, black pair of mouse ears (for obvious reasons).

The tradition of the coronet and veil became most famous/standardized with the Catholic Church but pre-dates it, originating with vestal virgins, pre-medieval fashion, and more.

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What's with the White Faces?

It all started with one of the first founding members of the San Francisco order, Sister Ardhanarishvara (a.k.a Sister Vicious Power Hungry Bitch).

She would often dress up with a painted white face for theatrical / artistic / spiritual purposes in her regular life. So the first time she dressed as a Sister in San Francisco, she painted up, and it immediately became part of her look. After a decade or so, the white face became one of the Sisters' signature looks.

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I can't (or don't want to) officially join, but I love your work and want to support you. How can I?

GURL! We'd LOVE that!

Here are some ways you can support us:

  1. Give us your money!
  2. Come to our events - check out our upcoming events or our Facebook page for where we're going to pop up next - we'd love to see your smiling face and give you a big ol' hug!
  3. Volunteer with us! We have a special place in our hearts for volunteers - we call them "Gertrude's Groupies" - Click Here for details.
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Can I Be a Sister?

Anyone over the age of 21 can apply to join our organization.

We have Sisters of every age and every stage, everywhere along the LGBTQ+ and GRSM spectrum, and even our straight allies.

Masculine, feminine, twink, bear, religious and non-religious; as our mission statement says:

"We gladly welcome all races, creeds, genders, and sexual orientations."

Join Us

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Are All Sisters HIV+?

No.

Some are, and some aren't.

We do not presume, do not judge, and strive for a world that does the same.

Many Sisters have lived with, or are living with the virus, or have had the virus affect their own lives.

This makes our fight for prevention, education, research - and a cure - a very personal one.

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Are You an HIV/AIDS Organization?

We joyously support many different causes and thus, partner with many local, non-profit 501(c)(3) charities whose missions are in line with ours.

Many of these include HIV/AIDS service organizations, LGBTQ+ and GRSM youth outreach projects, homeless/hunger relief efforts, and more.

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Who is St. Gertrude De Nivelles?

This is a long and sordid tale - for a start, check out the article in our 2009 Sistory:

The Orlando Sisters - Sistory

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*Should* I Be a Sister?

Ah! Now there's the million-dollar question.

Many people, year after year, find joy and deeper meaning in their lives by giving back to the world through different forms of volunteerism. However, the choice to specifically become a Sister is a special one.

The choice is to align yourself with the legacy of radical visibility, advocacy, and "big tent" style inclusion that the Sisters have trail-blazed worldwide for over forty years.

The choice to take lifelong vows of community service is enormous, but if this is the path for you, it's one of the most rewarding ones you'll ever experience - a true "joyous over-commitment."

Join Us

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