Sister Lola Hangers
A crafty Nun who will find a way to put something random, giant, and gaudy on her coronet.
I grew up in a time where I never thought about HIV as something that would ever affect me. It was always a distant almost foreign concept that I would only see on tv or movies. As a gay kid growing up I never had roll models I could relate too or learn from. Texas schools were defiantly not the place to learn about gay culture and STIs. Coming to Dallas I began to meet men and lets just say I was a bit of a hoochy momma in the early years as a began to explore the rainbow world around me. I had to experience a true reality check of the dangers of unsafe sexual behaviors and the urgency of the need to educate myself about HIV and other STIs. It wasn't until I found my current husband of 11 years that I calmed down a bit and began to mature. I am grateful for my husband, the friends I've gained over the years, the experiences I've lived through, and the lessons I've learned along the way. They have culminated into the man and Sister I am today. I am forever striving to be kind, joyful, and supportive of all those around me. I love you all.
Big Sister
Sister Blanche Davidian
Mother
Sister Bertha Sinn
Elevation
December 7th, 2014
Calling
Many years ago in my early 20's one of my best friends was diagnosed with HIV. He was scared and I was scared with him. I told him how much I loved him. It was a battle for him to fight through the system to get where he is today, undetectable, healthy, and on his medication. The fear and anxiety he was going through was overwhelming and I felt useless, wholly ignorant to what this meant for him, and unable to help him the way he needed to be helped. I was dancer at several local bars at the time and began to notice a similar trend among those I was working with. Many were homeless and either couch surfed or went home with a different guy every night so that they didn't have to sleep on the streets. Many began to get sick like my dear friend. I kept thinking this is 2008 why are so many of my young friends contracting HIV, wasn't this mostly stopped in the 90's. Soon I began to see Sisters going bar to bar passing out little packets of condoms and lube. I talked with one gigantically tall Sister at the top floor of S4 whose presence mesmerized me and she talked me about wearing a condom. Later I learned her name was Sister Blanche Davidian. I began to look for the Sisters out whenever I would go out hoping to see more of them. One day at a pool party I met a junior member of the DFW Sisters, Sister Missy DaPoint, and he talked me into going to one of their meetings. I began to learn so much from them about safer sex practices and developed my knowledge of the resources available to the community. I kept thinking this is what I needed to know in order to help my best friend. I decided right then and there, being a Sister is what I need to do so that I can talk to as many people as possible and pass out bliss kits to all the dancers and young people I possibly can. No one should have to be in the position my friend was in or be in the position I was in, helpless to help him. I took my vows as a Sister for that purpose. Humility, empathy, understanding, a desire to educate, spreading of joy, elimination of guilt and compassion are all traits we as Sisters always try have and display to the community everyday we go out manifested.
Nunlings
Little Sisters
Sister Berna Indi Bush (Oklahoma City), Novice Sister Poppy Bea Enya, Postulant Crystal Methodist, Postulant Penny Guinn, Novice Yanita Shagg, Postulant Mary Katherine Gagher, Postulant Sister Violet Lee Pounded, Postulant Guard Ester Finn
Children
Novice Sister Alexandra ShiBaraKu