The culture wars continue beyond Bud Light as the Los Angeles Dodgers have a new episode in its saga.
Trevor Williams, 8-year MLB veteran currently playing for the Washington Nationals, posted on social media on Tuesday, May 30 and denounced the decision of the Los Angeles Dodgers to reinstate The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to the team’s Pride Night.
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“As a devout Catholic, I am deeply troubled by the Dodgers’ decision to re-invite and honor the group ‘The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’ and their Pride Night this year,” Williams’ statement read. “To invite and honor a group that makes a blatant and deeply offensive mockery of my religion, and the religion of over 4 million people in Los Angeles county alone, undermines the values of respect and inclusivity that should be upheld by any organization.”
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are a human rights group of over 50 years that stand for the LGBTQ+ community. However, they’ve been criticized by Catholic supporters as the group is known for parodying Catholic nuns.
Williams included that he believes the invitation of the Sisters is “a violation of the Dodgers Discrimination Policy” against attire that may have prejudice against a specific group.
He also called for fans to “reconsider their support” for the Los Angeles Dodgers given their stand.
This issue started in mid-May when the Los Angeles Dodgers first removed the Sisters from its Pride Night guest list. This decision was believed to be triggered by a letter sent by Florida Senator Marco Rubio to the MLB saying that the group was “anti-Catholic.”
However, less than a week later, the Dodgers reinvited the Sisters after more discussions with community members, the Sisters, and the Dodgers organization, the team said in a statement.
Rubio claimed the team was “bullied” into the reinstatement, and Williams’ statement is just another pushback against the Dodgers and the Sisters.
While there is support for Williams in the Catholic community, some on the other side are also calling out the Catholic community for its wrongdoings.
This issue looms large on professional sports and major league baseball as the Dodgers are one of the most expensive and popular sports franchises in North America. The Dodgers are in the Top 10 in terms of franchise valuation among North American sports teams, and are second in among baseball teams, according to Sportico.
The Dodgers have also led the MLB in attendance every year since 2013.
