Perhaps you’ve seen them in and around San Diego. A gaggle of nuns, but not the kind of nuns you’re used to seeing. These nuns are wearing habits that forsake the usual gray and black for splashier reds and lavender, among other colors. They wear geisha-like makeup – ghostly white faces that are streaked with blue and orange and red Egyptian eye shadow. Their lips are wet with glitter and gloss; their bejeweled and feathered cornets (headdresses) rising high above their heads. They are the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

Up until a couple of weeks ago, my knowledge of and exposure to nuns was quite limited. I only knew I was afraid of them. Well, not afraid, but apprehensive. I went to an Episcopalian Church (a branch of Catholicism, yes, but a rather far-extending branch; my older sister once referred to it as the place people go simply to drink coffee and socialize). I was even an acolyte; ringing the communion bells was a particular favorite task of mine – it was all in the wrist, as they say. But there were no nuns at my church, and this was about as close to Catholicism as I would get.

Most of what I knew of nuns I learned from what I saw on television (Sally Field’s early ’70s television show “The Flying Nun”) and movies (Whoopie Goldberg in Sister Act and, of course, Julie Andrews’ Maria in The Sound of Music – I am a gay man, after all). There was, however, the occasional spotting of a sister or two on the street, Bibles in hand, their faces calm and patient underneath their veil and crisp-white wimple; the black or gray habits covering their feet so that they seemed to float rather than walk.

While a flying or even a singing nun sounds pretty easygoing, they, of course, are fictional characters. And I don’t know about you, readers, but when I see a real nun out in public, or especially if I’m about to cross paths with one, I often feel a tightening in my stomach. A nervous twitch overcomes me (guilt, perhaps?), and I find myself scrutinizing my every step, every breath, every thing I’ve ever thought or done in my life that could possibly be evil or a sin. Do they know I was just cruising that hot guy on the corner? Can they tell my AOL screen name just by the wrinkle in my brow? Is it obvious that I used to twirl around, much like Julie Andrews on that mountaintop, in my acolyte robe because it was the closest thing to a dress I had ever put on?

When passing said nuns on the street, I usually give a slight and solemn nod or the most forced angelic smile I can muster. But, more often than not, I avoid having to look in their eyes, lest they see the pot of wrongdoing boiling within me. I call this “nunphobia” – and I’m not the only one who has it. Indeed, many of my friends and acquaintances have admitted to similar feelings of guilt and shame when seeing a nun (and sometimes men in clerical collars – unless they’re cute, which is a whole other story).

And why is this? Nuns are supposed to be kind people; just look at Mother Theresa. She tended to the sick and poor, and in pictures her hands were always extending out in front of her as if she were ready to embrace anyone, anywhere, unconditionally.

Recently, though, I met a group of sisters who have changed the way I look at habit-wearers forever. I had the distinct pleasure of spending an evening with the San Diego chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence from the Asylum of the Tortured Heart. But who are the sisters and what is their mission?

The Asylum of the Tortured Heart is a relatively new chapter to the nearly 27-year-old, glitter-encrusted driving force that is the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. According to their Web site, the Sisters originated with three gay men in San Francisco in 1979 who wanted to combine radical politics, street theater and high camp. Legend has it that their habits were obtained from a community theater production of The Sound of Music (aha!). On Easter weekend in 1979, these three men went out into the streets of San Francisco in full, traditional habits, where they were met with shock, amazement and especially intrigue. People wanted to know who these nuns were. Why were they here? Are they just another form of entertainment?

Hardly.

Their mission, not unlike traditional Roman Catholic religious orders, emphasizes community outreach, education and service. Advocating a sex-positive philosophy, “Give up the guilt,” the San Francisco group organized as an order in 1980 and were later incorporated in 1986.

Traditionally, nuns come up with their own name, or they are christened by older experienced nuns, and there is no difference with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. However, their names are most often of the irreverent and outrageous variety: Sister Missionary Position, Sister Roz Erection, Sister Hysterectoria… you get the picture. And although originally founded as an “order of gay male nuns,” the group now consists of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and heterosexual men and women.

And in case you think the Sisters are merely a band of scene-stealing, cross-dressing former drama geeks out to crash every parade or city fest with their zany antics and colorful costumes, consider this: In 1982, the S.F. Sisters joined with a team of medical professionals to create “Play Fair,” the first sex-positive safer-sex pamphlet to address the AIDS crisis with sex-positive information, practical advice and humor. 1982 also saw the first AIDS fund-raiser with the Second Annual Dog Show in the Castro (where the Sisters were joined by none other than spiritual diva Shirley MacLaine). In 1983, they organized the first AIDS candlelight vigil. They have held ongoing fund-raisers for the AIDS Memorial Quilt and Project Open Hand (an organization that provides meals to homebound people with HIV and AIDS), and weekly bingo games in local churches to help fund local charities and nonprofit organizations.

Since their inception in 1980, orders have popped up across the United States, including in Los Angeles, Portland, Ore., Oklahoma City, Las Vegas (the Sin City Sisters!), Tennessee, Chicago, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Seattle – but it doesn’t stop there. In 1991, a chapter was founded in Berlin, Germany, followed by others in Australia, France, Scotland, the U.K. and even Uruguay.

The Sisters are not without their controversy, however, ruffling the robes of many Catholics who say that they mock the beliefs and rituals of the church. In 1987, the pope, during his visit to San Francisco, promptly placed the order on the Papal List of Heretics when they showed up to greet him by staging a ritual exorcism. You know you’ve arrived when you’ve been denounced by the pope.

I wondered, then, as I made my way to my interview with the San Diego chapter, what to make of this Sister Act (sorry, I couldn’t resist). Why the need for a Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence chapter in San Diego? Why now? Why here? And what of the controversy? For they have already, in only six months of operation, been on the receiving end, so to speak, of heated criticism.

This writer was about to find out.

I arrived promptly – again my nun-guilt; I couldn’t upset the sisters and be late, now could I? – at our designated time of 8:00 p.m. at the modest (dare I say it? Charming?) Golden Hill home of Sister Amanda Reckinwith of the Sparkling Scarlet Rouge (Mistress of Revelation/Web Mistress). Sister Amanda met me at the door; her hair pulled back with a headband, her face painted white – the transformation from layman, er, laysister to Sister of Perpetual Indulgence already underway. I was ushered inside with the stipulation that no pictures could be taken of the members out of their habits and makeup.

Seated at the dining room table were four other members: Sister Kali Vagilistic X.P. Aladocious (Mistress of Rituals), Sister Hecate of the Holy Circle of Aradia & Bodacious Tatas… Eternal Objects of Envy (Mistress of Propaganda), and Sister Epiphany Marie Laveau, the Nun of No Opinion (Mistress of Novices), all in various stages of semi-undress (though for my benefit – or safety, they explained to me – they were wearing more clothes than they usually have on during the makeup ritual) and makeup application.

After some playful teasing about my outfit, during which I was compared to both Britney Spears and Elvis Costello (I had purposely chosen an ensemble I thought was somewhat Catholic school-boy oriented: a short-sleeve, white button-up shirt with a skinny retro tie, dark slacks and black Converse sneakers), I settled into my interview with the Sisters. Though this is a relatively new group, the San Diego chapter, Amanda tells me, was officially recognized as nuns on June 8 of this year (after receiving a FedEx from the San Francisco Mother House). They acted as if they had been friends and Sisters for years; the hilarious banter between them poured on as thick as the makeup (and including about as many layers).

I wanted to know what prompted many of them to get involved in an organization such as this one.

For Sister Kali (Vagilistic X.P. Aladocious), and indeed for many of them, it was a personal calling. “Part of my path in life,” she says while carefully patting dry the white makeup that covered every inch of her face. Well, except for the part not already covered with a burly goatee and sideburns.

Many of the Sisters had already been involved in some form of outreach and activism or performance.

Amanda had a drag career for 10 years before joining the Sisters.

“I wanted a way to serve the community, but in an anonymous way….” Sister Hecate says, before being interrupted by Amanda:

“And not get calluses on her knees.”

“Plus,” Sister Hecate continues, un-phased, “I found a way to reconnect with the lesbian community. Some in the gay community didn’t know that women could become a Sister of Perpetual Indulgence.”

In fact, she tells me later, “Is she an actual woman?” is one of the most frequently asked questions she receives while out and about.

As she shades her eyelids in a rainbow of turquoise and mustard yellow, Sister Epiphany explains her own calling: “I had admired the Sisters for a while, but there hadn’t been any in San Diego. I went to The Hole one evening and the Los Angeles chapter of Sisters was there, and one of them mentioned that a San Diego chapter was forming. I wanted to get involved in some aspect of the gay community but not get caught up in the typical politics of the gay community.”

Which brought me to the question, why here? Why bring the Sisters to San Diego now? Was there an overwhelming need for a new kind of activism and outreach?

According to Sister Kali, a long-time Radical Fairy: “There is this myth of San Diego conservatism, and we’ve all been fed a line about it, but I don’t think it’s true everywhere here or with every person. The Sisters, by their very presence, shake that myth to its foundation. But we’re also multi-faceted, as you can see by our varying styles of makeup, robe colors and accessories. That’s because the gay community is multi-faceted. We reflect the community. We embrace these facets and we encourage others to embrace them as well.”

What does this mean, to embrace these facets?

“To revel in how you are different, how you are unique,” someone shouts out. But because of the cloud of glitter that someone has just applied to their face, I’m not sure who it is.

And how do the Sisters come up with their names?

As Sister Amanda explains: “Each name reflects their personality. There’s a Sister in San Francisco, Sister Barbie Mitzvah. She adores Barbies. She always has. And she’s Jewish!”

In addition, one of the Los Angeles chapter’s founding members couldn’t decide on her name, so the other nuns decided for her: Sister Candy-cide. Sister Can’t Decide. Get it?

I point out that on the Sisters’ Web site (www.sdsisters.org), their mission statement proclaims: “Our work will ever exist on many levels: making people happy, stamping out guilt brought on by judgmental society, drag activism, helping various organizations and charities, etc. This is the core mission of the San Diego House of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.”

“We are making people happy. We’re spreading joy,” Sister Kali announces as she applies a bindi-like jewel between her eyes. Spreading joy and wearing the bindi are trademarks all of the Sisters employ.

“We are doing away with stigmatic guilt. We dispel the myth of guilt and shame, giving people the room to be themselves in all aspects.”

I explain to the Sisters my own anxiety about nuns – that to me, nuns, and in essence, images of the church or religion do often incite feelings of guilt and shame in people; that perhaps people might be afraid to approach a nun or to be approached by one.

“Exactly,” says Sister Hecate. “But that’s where we’re different. We’re outrageous, we’re colorful, we’re fun, we’re involved. And it’s easier in white face to approach people.”

“We talk to people,” interjects Sister Amanda, who is now wearing a ruby-red robe, “and get them to talk to us.”

“The people who do interact with us – they seem to get it,” says Sister Epiphany. “And everyone should know that we are here to talk to people. We love to talk to people, to interact with them.”

And what is it, I ask, that you talk about?

As Sister Kali put it: “We are here to address a community that is often complacent about certain issues such as safe sex. We put a different spin on those age-old messages that everyone is tired of hearing. Without guilt or shame – because, as we all know, shame is often what perpetuates the risky behavior.”

“We pass out condoms, we encourage people to have fun, but to do so with responsibility,” Sister Hecate adds.

“Not only that, but we give out little blessings!” Sister Kali beams. “We lift people up –not physically…”

“We ask permission before we touch,” Sister Hecate interrupts.

“But with words and encouragement and banter,” Sister Kali continues. “It’s really amazing to go up to someone and tell them they are beautiful. Especially in a bar where there is often much tension or attitude, or even loneliness.”

Since June, the Sisters have been involved with bar-crawl outreach, Ms. World Leather in Las Vegas, Aid for AIDS Nevada, Palm Springs, Long Beach and Los Angeles Prides, San Diego Pride and the Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco. They even put in an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con.

Is there any place the Sisters won’t go, I ask.

“In a Porta-Potty,” someone shouts back.

“Our main purpose is to work,” states Sister Hecate. “There needs to be work for us to do. Our preference is to work and make a difference – through outreach, charity, whatever. We will turn down an event if the only reason to be there is to be a spectacle. That’s not what we’re here for.”

Feeling a bit more confident (the Sisters’ magic really works!), I asked them to talk a little about the controversy surrounding the order. It seems that as quickly as the San Diego chapter formed, the controversy was even quicker in catching up to them. One notable example was their appearance at this year’s AIDS Walk, which sparked both criticism and support – and more than a few letters to the Gay & Lesbian Times.

“You know what?” says Sister Kali, “Being willing to face the potential opposition is part of being a Sister. But the assumption that we are mocking nuns or the church just isn’t true.”

“We are ‘nuns.’ As we said earlier, nuns are a reflection of your spiritual community. We do the spiritual work of our community,” adds Sister Amanda.

But, as Sister Kali so ebulliently puts it, “We do it with glitter!”

“Listen,” Sister Amanda continues, “one nun is an oddity, two a curiosity, but three is a force to be reckoned with – a considerable effort. And all of the criticism or controversy, it’s not what we’re about. It’s an opinion, and we will not ever decry an opinion.”

“But we’ve found,” says Sister Hecate, “that most of the people who are doing the criticism know nothing about our organization. Or at least they haven’t talked to us. They haven’t taken the time to hear what we are all about.”

And Sister Epiphany agrees, “If you want to know the nuns, ask!”

“We never respond to the controversy; it’s not in our nature to respond,” says Sister Amanda.

The Sisters then explain to me that this is why they go around to various bars and clubs and put in personal appearances: to get to know everyone, to talk to people, to encourage San Diegans to lighten up and enjoy life. And it just so happens that tonight they are planning on stopping by two bars: The Hole and Flicks – would I like to join them?

And though it’s a weeknight and I have a job interview the next morning, I think, what the hell? Why not?

Before we head out, I take pictures of the Sisters with my digital camera. They look spectacular: colorful, joyous, unique, vibrant and especially accessible. Their white faces may be Kabuki-inspired but they are not severe or harsh looking. Instead the colors and markings (including swirls, accented cheekbones, beauty marks), the long curled eyelashes, the painted lips suggest elation and fun, creativity, imagination and ingenuity. Who wouldn’t want to approach them and ask them how they attached those eyelashes, or how they matched their Doc Martens with their just-above-the-knee robe?

There’s one final thing that needs to be done before we get into our cars and whisk away into the night: a ritual that the Sisters perform before every event to ground themselves, and relax and focus. After lighting a branch of sage, the Sisters form a circle and someone, in this case Sister Kali, leads a prayer. On this night, they gracefully include me.

“It’s a symbolic way to shake off any stresses or problems from our outside lives so we can concentrate on the work at hand,” Sister Epiphany tells me.

It’s clear from watching the Sisters apply their makeup and put on their habits, through the banter and playful cattiness, that not only do these people care about each other and about the work they do, but they take their work very seriously. The putting on of face and dress is their ritual. Not unlike Mass or Communion, or even confession.

As one of the Sisters says, “It’s like renewing my vows every single time.”

“It also takes a tremendous amount of work to start a house; the networking with the community, helping each other grow,” says Sister Amanda. “That takes a lot of dedication.”

The Sisters do one last makeup check, grab their baskets of condoms, generously anoint me with a sprinkle of glitter, and we are on our way to The Hole.

The bar is rather quiet when we enter, despite the fact that it’s some sort of Wet ’N’ Wild wet underwear contest night. But the appearance of the Sisters livens up the place, and Sister Hecate and Sister Epiphany are even called up to the stage to help with the final judging of wet-underwear clad young men.

At The Hole, I’m also introduced to a few more members of the order including Sister Pollyanal Buttercup (Mistress of the Flowers), who lives up to her name (well, the buttercup part, anyway). She’s dressed in white but accented by several yellow butterflies on her coronet, a golden-glittered goatee and bright flower petals for eyelashes. When I ask her about her involvement with the Sisters she enthusiastically exclaims: “I love feeling like I’m actually making a difference – connecting with people in an arena [a bar] where most people usually only connect one-on-one. You can’t do this with any other activism. With us there is no pressure, just a lot of fun. The people we talk to are free to let their guard down. This is a social arena, a place to be honest.”

When I ask Sister Pollyanal her thoughts on activism in San Diego, she tells me: “There is such a lack of self-confidence in San Diego. People are afraid to express how they really feel in this conservative city. I think the Sisters being here gives permission to others to be themselves. We’re good at convincing people that it’s OK to be who you are. There’s a terrible sense of conformity here.”

In addition to this new Sister, I’m introduced to Guard Peter Beater and Sentry Guard Inya. The guards are here to help the Sisters. They keep the events and the Sisters moving, and protect them from overzealous admirers.

“We’re also here to look pretty,” says Peter, looking – in his white face, black beret, black leather jacket and leather pants – like a Tom of Finland mime. He tells me he works about three weekends a month with the Sisters.

In the corner of my eye I see Sister Amanda, bottle of Smirnoff Ice in one hand, basket of condoms in the other; her scarlet robe flowing in the breeze.

“We put the fun back into fund-raising,” Peter adds.

Indeed, the Sisters have a great rapport with both the patrons and the bartenders; receiving a blessing and a condom from a nun is enough to put a smile on anyone’s face.

The Wet ’N’ Wild contest over, we head out to Flicks for the Dating Game hosted by none other than Nicole. The crowd at Flicks is also pretty sparse, but that doesn’t stop the Sisters from winning friends and influencing people.

And Sentry Guard Inya explains, “The reason the Sisters are so important here and now is that San Diego needs to be challenged in a way that opens their minds and hearts.”

By the end of the night – or the end of the night for me, anyway – I think the Sisters have certainly done that, and will continue to do so. For this former Episcopalian boy, and for countless others, no doubt, the Sisters are a refreshing addition to a city that often doesn’t appreciate – or understand – its own diversity.

More than a week has gone by since my meeting with the Sisters, but around my house I’m still finding bits of glitter: in my glasses, in my shower. It seems, and lucky for us, that they are here to stay.

Note: The Sisters were asked by Nicole to help with the Imperial Court’s annual toy drive. If you see them passing out candy canes, say hello. In addition, upcoming events and projects include the Gay Men’s Spiritual Retreat and a Sister Secondhand Sale, as well as their weekly bar crawls.