By Sister Dana Van Iquity–
Dana sez, “Happy Easter, everybuddy! Whether you commemorate The Resurrection or a floppy-eared hare that brings colored eggs to the kiddies or for any other reason—have a very festive Easter Sunday!
We Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Inc., are delighted to invite the community to celebrate our 46th Anniversary at Easter in the Park. In recognition of our transgender brothers and sisters who are under siege, the theme is “No Easter Without The T!” The festivities will begin at 10:30 am–11:30 am on Easter Sunday, April 20, in Dolores Park with Children’s Easter—featuring an egg hunt, story time, and (of course) the Easter Bunny. The stage show for adults begins at noon with special guests, Sister rituals, live music, performances by some of The City’s best drag and trans talent, and the legendary “Easter Bonnet,” “Foxy Mary,” and “Hunky Jesus” contests judged by Sister Roma and me. The Sisters’ Easter in the Park is FREE, and all are welcome, but Sisters will collect donations to help cover expenses and contribute to our Community Grants Fund, supporting organizations and worthy causes throughout the Bay Area and beyond. https://www.thesisters.org/
Producing Easter in the Park is possible each year because of the dedication of dozens of volunteers. Anyone can help The Sisters out and sign up to volunteer at Easter in the Park by going to www.thesisters/volunteers
Grifter Trump wants to transform the annual EASTER EGG ROLL on the White House lawn into a profit-making scheme where corporations can essentially purchase goodwill with his administration. This would be the first time a presidential administration has sought sponsors for the Easter Egg Roll in nearly 150 years. “That would have been vetoed in about 30 seconds in my day,” remarked Richard Painter, who served in the White House Counsel’s Office under former President George W. Bush. “We’re not operating this like a football stadium where you get logos all over the place for contributing money.” But such a greedy move is not surprising with con man Trump always trying to make a big bad buck—from selling autographed Bibles to inventing gold coins to pitching signed guitars, etc. Sister Dana sez, “Trump is now Grifting Easter, so, ‘Happy Gr-Easter, America!’”
The United States enacted income tax with the 16th Amendment in 1913. At that time, the filing deadline was March 1. In 1918, the deadline was changed to March 15, and then in 1955—for the most recent change—the filing deadline was moved to April 15. The day has come to be known as TAX DAY. Sister Dana sez, “Be sure to file your taxes by April 15. But don’t worry, you billionaires, because Commander-in-Cheat Trump will make sure you won’t have to pay anything—while eliminating those silly Social Security and medical services wasted on the poor and middle class!”
SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY held this year’s edition of the NIGHT OF IDEAS on April 5 at the Main Library and Asian Art Museum. Leading thinkers, scholars, writers, activists, and artists engaged with attendees using the theme of “(Un)Common Ground.” Together we explored the vital role of civil society in reconciling our differences and planning a shared future. The day’s conclusion at 1 am got us attendees to boogie down at SF Discothèque in the Library’s atrium. And we Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence offered camp and imagination with our arts & crafts “Sister Sock Puppet Workshop” taught by Sister T’aint A Virgin for folx to fashion a sock puppet of the nun or other being they would like to be. That “seminar” was followed much later downstairs in the Library’s atrium with a bodacious Bohemian Rhapsody lip-synch by us Sisters and dozens upon dozens of proud participants with their newly created sock puppets held up high and “singing” along. Also, magnificently on display all night were big, glorious oil paintings of a rainbow flag-waving Sister Dana—as well as other sweet Sisters portrayed by fabulous artist Deidre DeFranceaux, who was present to answer questions, and has been deservedly declared a saint by The Sisters. And what a superb surprise it was to be given a gorgeous umbrella from painter of perfection Deidre with her 8-paneled printed portraits pictured of this particular rainbow nun! “Night of Ideas” indeed! See other nun paintings at https://tinyurl.com/mudufnyf
April 5 was also the day when the activist “HANDS OFF!” group had over 1,300 local protests in all 50 states against the Musk-Trump power grab. That included the San Francisco Civic Center Plaza demo from 1–3 pm at 335 McAllister Street. My fave placard there emphasized: “No Fascist America: No Teenie Weenie Mussolini!” People everywhere across the nation came out to help demonstrate mass opposition to Trump’s authoritarian agenda. “Hands Off” spokespersons had earlier stated, “Remember—when we show up, that courage is contagious. Trump and Musk won’t immediately back down on April 6 as a result of our protests; but judges, journalists, law firms, universities, civil society institutions, elected officials, and others under intense pressure from this administration will know they aren’t alone in this fight!” H O spokespeople later commented after the actions, “It was BIG! It was beautiful! We were loud! We were powerful!”
Sister Dana sez, “April showers bring May flowers! But puhlease, NO floods this time, mmkaaay?!”
Celebrate two decades of groundbreaking artistry at SEAN DORSEY DANCE company’s 20th Anniversary Home Season, April 11–13 at Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th Street, SF. These dances are always powerful explorations of human experience, featuring luscious queer partnering. Dorsey’s work has boldly created new space for trans and queer voices, bodies, and stories in contemporary dance https://freshmeatproductions.org/
THE COMPTON’S CAFETERIA RIOT is an immersive, interactive play directly inspired by the 1966 uprising in San Francisco’s Tenderloin that marked a seminal act of collective resistance in the ongoing fight for transgender rights. The Tenderloin Museum is honored to present a new production of the play in the heart of the neighborhood that holds the riot’s legacy in its reputation. Written by Colette LeGrande, Mark Nassar, and Donna Personna, Compton’s Cafeteria Riot reopens April 11 at the new dedicated venue located at 835 Larkin Street. Attendees will convene for a late night breakfast at the Larkin Street Cafe (a surrogate for the long-gone Compton’s on Turk & Taylor). A 12-person cast will recreate the trans riot that came way before the Stonewall Riot. https://www.tenderloinmuseum.org/
I am thrilled by the flirty content of David Archuleta’s new single “CRÈME BRULÉE.” David is not the same sweet little teenage boy that I remember after his American Idol TV singing talent show. He is a 34-year-old man who has proudly come out (2021) gay and left the Mormon church (which is very anti-LGBTQ). And he is still extremely talented. Check out his sexy song and dance video at https://orcd.co/cremebruleeda
Lady Gaga’s sixth studio album, MAYHEM, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard albums chart, capping off several weeks’ worth of promotion in which our beloved pop singer consistently made a point of reaffirming her support for the queer and transgender community at a time of uncertainty for LGBTQ rights in America. When the “Abracadabra” singer took the stage to accept the Innovator Award at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards on March 17, she thanked her fans—her “Little Monsters”—and particularly the LGBTQ community. Thank you so much, our Lady Gaga, for being ‘BORN THIS WAY!’”
Tyrannical Trump attacked democracy on March 25 when he signed a sweeping and unconstitutional executive order that would block tens of millions of U.S. citizens from voting. The order, mistitled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections,” threatens to withhold federal grant money to force states to comply with voter suppression tactics that are already in effect in many red states. This disgusting order would disenfranchise millions and millions of voters by enforcing extreme identification requirements and hampering mail-in voting by directing the DOJ to sue states that accept paper ballots received after Election Day—even if they were mailed before—not to mention how it would cause a huge shift in the executive branch’s power over federal elections by allowing T-rump to compel the independent, bipartisan U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION to do anything he wants done. Sister Dana sez, “Did you know that MILLIONS of undocumented immigrants are voting illegally? Neither did I, because that’s a lie!”
On March 27, in yet another of Trump’s horrendous executive orders, the king of History Rewriting issued one regarding our sacred SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION—causing us everyday democracy-loving Americans, historians, and politicians to fear for the new meaning of patriotism and the purpose of history. Singling out the Smithsonian Institute, which includes 21 museums and the National Zoo, Dictator Donald ordered the removal of what he called “improper ideology.” The presi-dense also instructed Veep JD Vance, a member of the Smithsonian Institution’s 17-member Board of Regents, to oversee the taking down of monuments and sculptures that the order termed “divisive narratives that distort our shared history.” Most of both former and current board members are outraged, as should be we true patriots. Sister Dana sez, “According to the evil PROJECT 2025, ‘America is now divided between two opposing forces: woke revolutionaries and those who believe in the ideals of the American revolution.’ Well, I’ll take BOTH, please!”
By now, I think y’all know how fond I am of the amazing movie, Wicked, and of song parodist extraordinaire Randy Rainbow. So it’s only natural for me to rave about Randy’s latest video, DEFY DEMOCRACY, using the marvelous music while deliciously distorting the lyrics of “Defying Gravity.” Go google it and giggle!
It was a victory to democracy when Democrats recently lodged a big upset in a Republican-held state Senate district in Pennsylvania, flipping a seat that DarnOld Trump carried by 15 points and sending a big warning sign to Republicans that the 2026 midterms could be trouble for their party. Democratic nominee James Andrew Malone, mayor of East Petersburg, PA, defeated Republican Josh Parsons, 50–49.
Rest in peace and power, iconic actor Richard Chamberlain, whom I knew as beloved Dr. Kildare in the 1960s TV series, and as a sexy priest with secret female lover in The Thorn Birds in the 1983 series. Later he came out loud and proud GAY in 2003 at age 69. He passed away on March 30 this year, two days before his 91st birthday.
Liar-in-Chief Trump declared on the March 31 newscasts that he was not ruling out a THIRD term as president, in spite of the fact that the 22nd Amendment of the U.S. CONSTITUTION forbids three terms of presidency. Regarding his illegal plans, he boldly stated, “I’m not joking.” Sister Dana sez, “It was a JOKE that he even won the FIRST term, and then his second. It would not be funny if he is ever given yet another term of autocracy and oligarchy!
On April 1, Senator Cory Booker boldly, virulently, truthfully slammed Trump and his administration’s horrific policies during Booker’s marathon 25-hour and 4-minutes-long Senate speech. “I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis,” he emotionally exclaimed. “Enough is enough!” Booker surpassed that awful 1957 segregationist Strom Thurmond to achieve the longest Senate speech on record. Sister Dana sez, “You GO, Senator Booker! Fili-bust-em!”
The Trump administration’s layoffs of 10,000 more federal workers began on April 1—with some workers finding out that they had lost their jobs only when their office security badges did not work. Sister Dana sez, “That was a really lousy APRIL FOOLS prank! Now bring them all back at once!” In the month of March alone (as of April 3, 2025) there have been 216, 215 federal job layoffs—an increase of 672% since the same time last year!
High, everybody! Just a reminder that April 20 (4/20/2025) is 420 DAY! So, smoke ’em if ya got ’em!
LESBIAN VISIBILITY WEEK (this year from April 21 to April 27) was founded by Linda Riley in 2020, and serves as a beacon of support, shining a light on the experiences, perspectives, and needs of LGBTQ women and non-binary people. The mission remains clear: to increase understanding, visibility, and create a positive legacy for our community. In a historic press briefing at the White House, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre took the podium to announce the launch of “Lesbian Visibility Week 2023.” As the first out lesbian to hold this position, Jean-Pierre highlighted the Biden administration’s commitment to fostering inclusivity and celebrating diverse voices within the LGBTQ community. Check out
https://www.lesbianvisibilityweekusa.com/
The annual SFLGBT CENTER SOIRÉE is back on April 19 at City View at Metreon. Join them for a triumphant evening celebrating the Center’s 23 years of service to our LGBTQ community. This year’s Soirée will feature a dinner program followed by a vibrant after-party, with live music, dazzling performances, dancing, an open bar, and more. Hosted by Honey Mahogany and Sister Roma, with entertainment by Juanita MORE! https://www.sfcenter.org/
THE PEOPLE’S MARCH/FIGHT FASCISM FOR DEMOCRACY will be a massive march and rousing rally on April 12, noon to 3 pm in SF supporting everyone under attack by the current government administration. Nobody should live in fear because of their color, faith, gender, sexual orientation, ancestry, or political beliefs. The People’s March & Rally was created in 2020 by activists Juanita MORE! and Alex U. Inn to show solidarity with the LGBTQ community and bring back activism. This awe-inspiring event will begin with a rally at Embarcadero Plaza (formerly known as Justin Herman Plaza) at Market and Steuart Streets, followed by marching west on Market Street to SF City Hall at 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place. The People—not the government—should have the power!
Sister Dana sez, “Most economists and regular folx agree that Trump’s TARIFFS are utterly TARrible and TARrifying—as well as not being a very TARrific plan for our country!”
Sister Dana Sez, Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun
Published on April 10, 2025
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