By Sister Dana sez, Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun–
Sister Dana sez, “Happy MARDI GRAS, everyone! And as they say on that gayest of days: ‘Let the Good Times Roll!,’ and in New Orleans in French: ‘Laissez les bons temps rouler!’”
MARDI GRAS is a celebration of life on the Tuesday before the more somber occasion of Ash Wednesday. It usually involves the use of masks and costumes by its participants, and the most popular celebratory colors are purple, green, and gold. Mardi Gras, which this year occurs on March 4, is the final day of Carnival and falls on the day before the beginning of Lent. It is French for “Fat Tuesday,” reflecting the practice of the last night of consuming rich, fatty foods in preparation for the Christian fasting season of Lent, during which the consumption of such foods is avoided. But this is not necessarily a religious event. Contrarily, Mardi Gras can be a wild and sexy night! Especially in the Castro District!
To celebrate Mardi Gras in the wildest, sexiest, gayest way possible, we members of the charitable Mardi Gras club KREWE DE KINQUE and our reigning King XXI Robert Makowka and Queen XXI Vivianne Vixen Rose have been helping to raise funds for our BAL MASQUE XXII beneficiary, RAINBOW WORLD FUND’s Los Angeles Fire Survivors campaign. Our 22nd anniversary masked ball theme is “MARDI GLOW UNDER THE SEA,” and will be held at the gay dance club and bar, The Café in the Castro, 2369 Market Street on March 1, 6–9 pm. Celebrity Grand Marshal Brian Busta aka Chickpea will lead the festivities—including the second line parade, a festive tableaux of live entertainers, fun photo booth, deejay & dancing, step-down ceremony of King XXI Robert & Queen XXI Vivianne, and revelation of the newly club-elected Krewe de Kinque King and Queen with proper crowning ceremony. Queen VII Sister Dana will be handing out free Mardi Gras beads at the top of the stairs. For tickets and info: https://bit.ly/KDK-Bal-Masque-XXII
After having enjoyed our masked ball, be sure to join our Krewe de Kinque’s annual FAT TUESDAY CASTRO BAR CRAWL on March 4, 6–11 pm. No RSVP necessary. Just come crawl in costume (or just come as you are) with us—bar to bar to bar!
The day after Valentine’s Day, in an awfully alarming Musk-rat’s “X” social media platform to the world, Commander-in-Deceit Trump wrote: “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.” Dictator Donald probably did not realize that he was quoting the terrible former French revolutionary general Napoleon Bonaparte who staged a military coup before declaring himself emperor from 1804–1815. Now, more than 200 years later, wannabe King Trump is trying to bend AmeriKKKa to his will—using our Justice Department as his personal law enforcement agency. Sister Dana sez, “In MY country, NO ONE is above the law—even though Supreme Court MAGA majority maniacs have given him immunity from criminal prosecution. He is still facing case after case from real Federal Justices (who are actually being impeached by some sycophantic House Repugnicans). So, let’s just rip to shreds this silly ol’ Constitution of ours, mmmkaaay?!”
Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor summed it up so succinctly, stating: “The relationship between the President and the people he serves has shifted irrevocably. In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law.”
This year’s CHINESE NEW YEAR FESTIVAL AND PARADE on February 15 saw one of the largest turnouts in years! An estimated 3 million people joined the celebration, either in person or through live broadcasts—which I really enjoyed on my TV at home. The night’s highlights included a breathtaking opening act and a dazzling fireworks display—not to mention all the wonderful political and non-political celebs. Mark your calendars for San Francisco’s Chinatown festival and parade on March 7, 2026, as we welcome the Year of the Horse and celebrate the cultural heritage, community spirit, and the vibrant traditions of Chinese New Year!
On February 16, I attended yet another fabulous Fabulosa Books’ author-talk event at 489 Castro Street—always by lively live authors. This one was no exception, featuring Nico Lang, writer of AMERICAN TEENAGER: How Trans Kids are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era. Introduced by Castro Cultural District Director Tina V. Aguirre, Nico has brilliantly documented how trans kids should be allowed to live. But what is incredibly rare are the voices of the people at the heart of this issue: transgender and gender nonconforming kids themselves. Journalist Nico spent a year traveling the country to document the lives of transgender, non-binary, and gender-fluid teens and their families, drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews with them and the people in their communities of what it’s actually like to grow up trans today. Despite what some lawmakers might want us to believe, these are truly just kids looking for a brighter future. Go buy this beautiful book at Fabulosa Books!
America is facing yet another possible Government Shutdown on March 14. Republicans in Congress will be struggling to reach a spending plan—having kicked the can down the road so many, many times in the past. On February 13, the House GOP passed a budget blueprint with $4.5 trillion in tax cuts and steep spending reductions. The Republican-led Budget Committee approved a sweeping proposal to unlock Trump’s agenda—sending it to the full House. This would acutely affect Medicare, Medicaid, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), among other needs of Americans. Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries had noted that the GOP ditched bipartisan spending talks, and he assured that the House Democrats would never accept this, stating to Republicans, “You’ve now shown America that it’s all on you!” Sister Dana sez, “Democrats have finally awakened and are fighting back hard!”
On PRESIDENTS’ DAY, February 17, it might as well have been called “ANTI-PRESIDENTS’ DAY,” because hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered across America (including over 1,500 peaceful but enraged people in front of SF City Hall) to demonstrate against Presidents “Trusk” (what I call a combination of co-presidents Trump & Musk). Three big, bold placards stood out for me: “Where Law Ends, Tyranny Begins”; “Not All Supporters of The Orange Menace are Racist, But All of Them Decided Racism Wasn’t a Deal Breaker”; and, quite simply, “Resist Fascism!”
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence 2025 Easter Grant Cycle is now open! Applications are being accepted now through March 30, 2025. Winners will be announced on Easter, April 20. The Sisters tend to support underfunded, small organizations and projects providing direct services to underserved communities. Most of these organizations and projects receive little, if any, government or mainstream funding—and may be in the early stages of development. We are especially attracted to progressive grassroots projects that promote wellness, joy, tolerance, and diversity within our communities. We have a vision that encompasses diverse communities and groups that have a common interest in human rights, people of every gender, gender identity, race, class, age, and sexual orientation. We favor projects that serve the Bay Area or particularly embattled communities in other locales around the country. We are especially thrilled to fund innovative projects in providing seed money that will have a ripple effect throughout and upon our diverse communities. Learn more and apply here: www.thesisters.org/grants References to transgender people have been removed from a National Park Service website for the STONEWALL NATIONAL MONUMENT, a park and visitor center across from the Stonewall Inn in New York that commemorates the 1969 riot that became a pivotal moment for the LGBTQ rights movement. These drastic changes were made because of an executive order Dictator Donald signed on his first day in office calling for the federal government to define sex as only male or female. Also removed from the NPS site were the letters “T” and “Q” in our usual LGBTQ acronym. Sister Dana sez, “This is outrageous because transgender people—especially transgender women of color—were at the forefront of the Stonewall Riots and one of the beginnings of the fight for LGBTQ civil rights!”
The good news is that Trump’s horrendous DEI crackdown is temporarily on hold, thanks to rulings by intelligent, apolitical, law-upholding Federal Judges across the nation!
In non-entertainment news, we heard that Terrible Trump was “unanimously elected Chairman of the Board of the prestigious Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C,” according to his statement. But he had fired most of the original board (many of which resigned in an act of resistance against disgusting Donald) and replaced the old board with his butt-kissers. According to The Washington Post, this is the first time a president has removed the predecessor’s board members in order to install himself as chair. Many of the truly talented stars planning to appear on the show have now canceled because of this autocratic action. And the scheduled Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C., were dumped. Sister Dana sez, “I don’t know about you, dear readers, but I will no longer be watching this once-prestigious program. Okaaay then, byeee, K.C.!”
At the start of the now streaming, six-episode, “ZERO DAY” on Netflix, a deadly cyber-attack forces former U.S. President George Mullen (Robert De Niro) out of retirement to search for the truth in a world where facts have become subjective. The plot explores a divided country facing an urgent, existential crisis. The alarming tagline: “When the truth has been weaponized, how do you unravel a conspiracy?” If that sounds like today’s “alternative facts” world of Trumpism to you, then you will probably enjoy this thrilling American political conspiracy series.
Sister Dana sez, “Meanwhile Trump has likened himself to royalty on his ‘Truth Social’ in stating boldly: ‘Long Live the King.’ Well, he finally admitted it. So, let’s have a revolution and dethrone the king!”
A new bill in Iowa, House Study Bill 158, would make attending a drag performance with one’s own children a felony punishable by up to five years in jail. It could include any performance involving a transgender person, even if it’s not a drag performance. And businesses could be fined $10,000 for allowing minors to attend such a presentation. According to LGBTQ Nation, this bill isn’t about lewd drag performances; it’s about any performance where a performer wears “clothing, makeup, accessories, or other gender signifiers” that are “different than the performer’s gender assigned at birth.” The bill says this applies to any show that includes singing, dancing, reading, or performing. Sister Dana sez, “House SB-158 is a real drag—and not the FUN DRAG at all!”
On February 21, Trump abruptly, stupidly fired the country’s senior military officer, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman—a role that traditionally remains in place as administrations change. Air Force General Charles Q. Brown Jr., a four-star fighter pilot, was only the second African American to hold the job. The Navy’s top admiral and a senior Air Force general were also dismissed.
The 97th Academy Awards Oscar Ceremony is March 2, 4–7 pm on ABCTV. Just call me “Dorothy Gale of Emerald City,” because I will be rooting for WICKED!
The Academy presents: BROCK & SPENCER: Cabaret Piano Night on March 5. Big vocals, bold piano, and all the drama you love—Jason Brock & Dee Spencer are serving up a night of queer magic and musical excellence! Open to all—no cover. Must RSVP. https://www.academy-sf.com/
QUEER ANCESTORS PROJECT presents prints by queer and trans emerging artists with ARTIST PANEL and Button-Making. Panel features artists faustina ngô, JoJo, maya salcido white, Natalie Fong, Naye Rosas, Percy Schumacher, ruby jay, Sofía Fabio Mendieta, TIJA, and Zoe Wagner, with QAP Creative Director Katie Gilmartin. Free on March 8, 7–9 pm at STRUT, 470 Castro Street.
Sister Dana sez, “Congratulations to newly elected and crowned Imperial Court Emperor Ashle Blow and Empress Afrika America! Let Ashle and Afrika absolutely rule The City!”
Will you watch terrible Trump’s State of the Union speech on March 4? Many Democrats and democracy-loving folx are choosing to boycott the dictator’s speech, but others are planning to watch in order to help combat his lies. Sister Dana sez, “It could be a fun party where we all get to booo the bastard—or maybe mark Bingo cards for each category of lying!”
Sister Dana sez, Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun
Published on February 27, 2025
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