San Francisco activist dies at 91 after spending final night at the club

"In the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the LGBTQ+ charity behind San Francisco's annual Hunky Jesus competition, decades of activism and raucous performances, members of the order dress in drag as nuns, taking names like "Sister Flatulina Grande" and donning robes and white face paint. Among a flock of nuns, Gordon, who joined in 1987, was designated the lone pope."

"It happened after one Sister pointed out Gordon's striking resemblance to Pope John Paul II, recalls Sister Roma. "We were all like, 'Oh my God, he totally does look like him,'" Roma told SFGATE. From then on, Gordon was Pope Dementia the Last, or Popey, appearing in white robes and a papal hat."

"In one 2003 performance, Gordon joined the Sisters in spoofing the Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal, appearing in a cage "where he could just barely reach out to fondle our young acolyte," according to the order's website. Sister Vish-Knew fondly recalled a 1980s Pride Parade in which Gordon, in pope costume, dragged a "50 foot penis covered in a plastic condom with 6 nuns inside" from his convertible."

"As the order's pope, Gordon joined in the Sisters' protests for gay rights and recognition of the AIDS epidemic. "He was a huge personality," Roma said. "He was satirically pompous. He liked to make fun of people who had expensive taste and lived lavish lifestyles, although that is exactly who he was.""

Huntly Gordon died at age 91 after falling in his apartment and hitting his head. He was a businessman and activist and a longtime member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, an LGBTQ+ charity known for drag performances and activism. Gordon joined the order in 1987 and was designated the lone pope after a member noted his resemblance to Pope John Paul II. He appeared as Pope Dementia the Last, wearing white robes and a papal hat. He participated in performances that spoofed Catholic Church scandals and in Pride events featuring elaborate costumes. As pope, he joined protests for gay rights and recognition of the AIDS epidemic.

Read at SFGATE