The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a group of drag performers who mockingly wear Catholic nun costumes, have issued an apology after a previously associated member was arrested for indecent exposure in California last month.
Clinton Monroe Ellis-Gilmore, who was associated with the Eureka chapter of the group, was arrested at Table Bluff County Park in Loleta, California on Aug. 12. Ellis-Gilmore, who was also known as “Novice Sister Bethe Cockhim,” and “Novice Sister Man Romeo” during his time with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, had previously participated in a drag-event at a public school in 2018, according to Facebook posts from the group.
The Eureka chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence said Ellis-Gilmore’s arrest was “an embarrassment and a blight on our name” in a statement to The Daily Wire, who originally reported his arrest earlier this week.
“The Eureka House of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence unreservedly condemns the behavior alleged in police reports,” associate Sister Marymagnalaid told the outlet. “To have anyone associated with us accused of such behavior is an embarrassment and a blight on our name.”
The Eureka, CA chapter of the Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence have issued an apology for member Clinton Ellis-Gilmore masturbating in public.https://t.co/xdEWxqAz43 pic.twitter.com/Xip7wMULa0
— Chris Bertman (@manofbert) September 14, 2023
The Eureka chapter of the group clarified that Ellis-Gilmore was involved with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence though was never a full-fledged member.
The alleged public masturbator was reportedly arrested in a “probationary process” towards becoming a full member, though the process had ended in October 2020.
“We have a long and complex process for admitting new members to our order and we take every step to be as certain as possible that anyone admitted as a fully-professed member will not bring dishonor to our order,” the group told The Daily Wire.
According to the group, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence maintain the authority to remove members and full-fledged members also serve as “mandatory reporters.”
“We offer our most profound apologies to the community for what happened and specifically to any individuals impacted by this inexcusable behavior,” the group’s statement continued. “It is not representative of our Order, our values, or the hundreds of individuals who serve as Sisters.”
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence said they would be marginalized and minimized by Ellis-Gilmore’s “inexcusable” behavior.
“We would ask our critics to consider whether all the current and former members of their own organizations are without sin before hurling stones at our entire organization based on the alleged behavior of a former member,” they concluded.
Ellis-Gilmore reportedly made no attempt to hide his public indecency: his left leg was outside his open car door with his right leg on the dashboard while wearing no pants, according to witness Randy Fleek who saw Ellis-Gilmore “playing with himself.”
“It’s obvious. You cannot help but see this guy, he’s not hiding it,” said Randy Fleek, who witnessed Ellis-Gilmore’s indecent exposure last month, adding the alleged public masturbator was partially clothed at first, though was fully nude by the time authorities arrived.
Fleek said Ellis-Gilmore “wants everyone to see what he’s doing,” noting the alleged public masturbator appeared pleased when sheriffs arrived and got him dressed.
“There’s something wrong with that man. He’s got a weird f—ing desire to show off to the public, to anybody that wants to look at him,” Fleek said, adding cars with young women had passed by throughout the hour he witnessed Ellis-Gilmore’s act. “He puts himself in a position and in a spot that you can’t help but look at the son of a b—-.”
Ellis-Gilmore has a history of sharing sexually suggestive and questionable posts to social media, as previously revealed by The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh.
In May, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were honored by the Los Angeles Dodgers during a Pride event at the stadium. The event and the group were lauded by legacy media as critics were referred to as hateful and bigoted.