A former probationary member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence — a group of drag queens who dress as Catholic nuns — was arrested last month for public masturbation in California.
Sheriff’s deputies from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office in Loleta, California, were called to a scene on August 12 and reportedly found Clinton Monroe Ellis-Gilmore, 53, masturbating in his car with the door open.
Alleged witness Randy Fleek said Ellis-Gilmore parked his truck two spots away from Fleek’s trailer at Table Bluff County Park and had his left leg out the open door and his right leg on the dashboard with no pants on as he was “playing with himself.”
“This is f****d up,” Fleek told The Daily Wire. “It’s obvious. You cannot help but see this guy, he’s not hiding it. He wants everyone to see what he’s doing.”
He said several cars passed through, including some with young women. Gilmore allegedly began with his shirt on but was completely naked by the time deputies arrived.
“There’s something wrong with that man. He’s got a weird f*****g desire to show off to the public, to anybody that wants to look at him,” Fleek said. “He puts himself in a position and in a spot that you can’t help but look at the son of a b***h.”
The sheriff’s office said in a statement, “On August 12, 2023, at about 6:41 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a turnout in the area of South Jetty Road and Table Bluff Road in Loleta for the report of a male, later identified as Clinton Ellis-Gilmore, exposing himself in the driver’s seat of a parked vehicle.”
“Mr. Gilmore was reported by multiple witnesses to have been sitting in his truck with the door open, masturbating for approximately one hour,” the statement continued. “The conduct was reportedly not directed at anyone in particular.”
Gilmore did not resist arrest and was later released from custody. Gilmore was later identified as being associated with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, going by several names, including “Novice Sister Bethe Cockhim” and “Novice Sister Man Romeo.”
He also participated in a “drag queen story hour” at an elementary school in 2018, according to a Facebook post.
The Eureka chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence issued an apology but said that while Gilmore was involved with the Sisters, he was never a full member.
“The Eureka House of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence unreservedly condemns the behavior alleged in police reports,” the group said in a statement. “To have anyone associated with us accused of such behavior is an embarrassment and a blight on our name.”
“The person arrested was in a probationary process to become a full member at one time but this process ended in October of 2020,” the statement continued. “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 Sisters said that full members are mandatory reporters and that the group has disciplinary measures in place by which they can expel members.
“We offer our most profound apologies to the community for what happened and specifically to any individuals impacted by this inexcusable behavior. It is not representative of our Order, our values, or the hundreds of individuals who serve as Sisters,” the statement said.
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence recently incited controversy in Dallas as they were hosted by a local LGBTQ-friendly church for a service on Sunday morning, causing more than 40 people to protest the service, as reported by The Dallas Express.
The Sisters perform drag shows dressed in the religious habit of Catholic nuns and have been described by some as an “anti-Catholic hate group.”
Locally based Catholic speaker Trent Horn said in a previous statement to The Dallas Express that the Sisters “mock what is sacred to over a billion people through their cartoonish depictions of nuns and by hosting events like ‘Hunky Jesus’ contests.”
“Those who claim to be inclusive and respectful towards all faiths likewise shouldn’t celebrate the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,” he said.
The DFW chapter of the Sisters was honored by the City of Dallas during LGBTQ Pride Month this year. The City said the group is “dedicated to community service, fundraising, outreach, advocacy, education for safer sex awareness, and to promoting human rights, respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment.”
