LGBTQ+ Pride Night at Dodger Stadium returns this week, apparently without all the controversy that surrounded last year's event.
This year's festivities will take place before and during the Dodgers' game against the Kansas City Royals on Friday night. Fans who purchase a Pride Night ticket package will receive an LGBTQ+-themed Dodgers jersey.
Pregame activities will include a live DJ, line dancing lessons and a fashion dance contest in the center field plaza and an Outloud Sports kickball game on the field.
Activities of a different kind accompanied last year's Pride event at Dodger Stadium.
A couple of hours before the June 16 game against the San Francisco Giants, approximately 2,000 protesters marched down Stadium Way to Vin Scully Avenue. The protest was in response to the Dodgers' plan to honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a satirical performance and activist organization made up of queer nuns dressed as women who are considered blasphemous by some Christians, with the Community Hero Award. of the team as part of Pride. Night activities.
The Dodgers faced backlash after they said they would no longer honor the LGBTQ+ satirical group. But they changed course and invited the Sisters again.
The Dodgers confirmed to The Times that no Community Hero awards will be presented this year.
Last year's protest was organized and promoted by a group called Catholics for Catholics. There is no mention of Pride Night protests on the group's website this year. The organization did not immediately respond to questions from the Times.
The Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights advocacy group ran radio ads a year ago calling for a boycott of the Pride Night game because of the plan to honor the Sisters. A Catholic League representative told the Times that no such plans were being made at this time regarding Friday's game.
Also during the week leading up to Pride Night last year, Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gómez announced that his service hours before the night's events would be dedicated “to healing due to the harm caused by the decision.” of the Dodgers to honor a group that intentionally denigrates and desecrates the Christian faith.” No such announcement appears on the Archdiocese of Los Angeles website this year. The group did not immediately respond to a call from the Times.
Thousands of revelers headed to Hollywood on Sunday morning as the annual Pride parade was set to begin on Sunset Boulevard.
