About The Fourth City Sisters
Our Mission
“We are a house of service, ministry, and outreach to our LGBTQ community and others in need. We promote human rights, respect, diversity and spiritual enlightenment for all humankind. Our focuses are bringing awareness to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, gender issues, the eradication of bullying, and teaching others the value of self-worth.”
House Sistory
Sistory Of the Fourth City Sisters
The sistory of the Fourth City Sisters is as fascinating as it is raunchy. Founded in 2018, the Fourth City Sisters answered the calling to fill the queer drag nun-shaped hole in Saint Louis, MO. When casting about for names, we started by researching common and uncommon nicknames for St. Louis. Common names include Gateway to the West, River City, Mound City, amongst others. We came across “Fourth City” as a nickname used from approximately 1880-1904, when St. Louis was at its zenith. We were the fourth largest city in the country, with intense population and industrial growth. The era culminated with the 1904 World’s Fair and 1904 Olympics.
The name caught our attention for several reasons, but the strongest is that it’s not a common nickname any longer, so this opens a doorway of conversation when we are asked about our name. The history of this time period is one of great pride for St. Louisans, with the cultural and industrial advancements at the time. Also, the name seemed appropriate as we are the fourth incarnation of a House in the city. The Founding Members of the Fourth City Sisters were (at the time of the founding): Sister EllaWhore von Tramp, Sister Lucy Fear, Sister Freedom Bubbles, Sister Belly Davis, Sister Busta Nutt, and Guard Mame O. Reese, though we lost Sister EllaWhore von Tramp to the Nuns of the Above and the other Founders went their own separate ways along the path.
In December 2018, we were elevated to mission status, and we really meant business! A Mission House is a house still proving its worth to the global sisterhood. We continued our ministry of safer sex outreach, human rights for the LGBT+ community (specifically our transgender siblings), and a general mission of spreading joy, increasing visibility, and promoting the safety of our community.
Finally, in June of 2020, the United Nun Privy Council voted to elevate our humble mission to a Fully Professed House of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and in December of 2023 we began the process of restructuring and revitalizing the house into what it is today.
Throughout our journey, we have been blessed by the company of many Sisters and Guards from across the country, and have connected with Sisters worldwide! We are so grateful to be a part of a global Sisterhood.
One of the joys of being a Sister or Guard is our fantastical appearance. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence follow a system similar to the one employed by Catholic nuns: that is, we have Aspirants, Postulants, and Novice and fully professed Sisters and Guards.
Our uniform must contain certain elements, though creativity and innovation is essential in each house. Each house has its own unique cornette, made up of a headpiece and veil, inspired by historic and fantastic ecclesiastic imagery. The uniform also includes name tag, jewel, and collar or stole. We can be either festive or formal, but we are always ready to have a good time.
The Fourth City Sister formal cornette is a variation of an Elizabethan French Hood, with a higher arching center. It is traditionally black with gold edging and includes a white or silver glittering arch. You can also identify our members by the Sinful Heart of St. Louis, pictured below.
Don’t be afraid to come up and say hi, take a photo, and learn more about what we do. We want to be an asset to our community and be there for anyone in need.
The Sinful Heart of St. Louis, designed by Sister Mary Godmother
One of our more iconic portraits is that of Sr. EllaWhore von Tramp, our Nun of the Above. The portrait was taken during the City of Fountain Sisters’ Exequitar in 2018. Sr Ella and I were very excited for the opportunity to meet with other Sisters from around the country, and share the joy felt by the Sisters of Kansas City, our mentor house.
Because of that close mentorship, we knew that when we made it to KC, our first stop would have to be Wonderland, the amazing shop owned by Sister Glamarama Ding Dong. While catching up, sharing hugs and hellos, of course we also browsed the amazing wares in our Sister’s store. We took in all the glittering jewelry, vintage dresses, coats and shoes around us, when Sister EllaWhore came upon a gorgeous black velvet dress that he instantly fell in love with. It’s rich metallic threading, dramatic V-cut bodice and full velvet skirt were everything she had been looking for.
We knew that dress needed to be her’s, but it was made even more so when Sister Glamarama told us the story of the dress. As the previous owner’s daughter had told her, the Chinoiserie inspired dress was custom made for her mother, a woman who had originally owned a local porn palace, the Strand, in KC. She apparently had a lot of “very colorful friends” and they loved to dress up and have fancy parties. She opened The Strand Up above the original theater for her friends to cater to the gay clientele.
Of course, we bought the dress, and were amazed to find out that at the night of the final gala of the Exequitar, The Sisters of Kansas City arranged for Shane Linden to take formal portraits of all the Sisters in attendance. Which led us to this moment saved forever, a moment of pride and joy, of communion with our world-wide Sisters. A moment that solidified our drive to bring our House up and continue our mission to our own community.