Barbie-mania had one more hurrah at Easter Sunday’s Hunky Jesus Contest in Dolores Park, with a perfectly Mattel-produced Jesus Ken winning the title and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence honoring their 45th anniversary.
“Today is the most San Francisco day you could ever have,” co-emcee Honey Mahogany declared in front of 10,000 people assembled in Dolores Park on Easter Sunday for the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’s 45th anniversary party. But there was stiff competition in the Hunky Jesus Contest, with this year's honors going to Jesus Ken (seen below).
“I’m a choking hazard” Jesus Ken declared on stage, before being crowned.
More than two dozen other competitors battled for the Hunky Jesus 2024 title. This final round of the competition is seen above, with other finalists including Disco Ball Jesus, Golden Shower Jesus, and a contestant named Trailer Trash Jesus, who announced to the crowd while drinking, “It’s not wine, it’s a fuckin’ PBR!”
To which Sister Roma responded, ”Is it wrong that I’m attracted to Trailer Trash Jesus?”
Shortly after that, Sister Roma admonished the crowd by saying, “I can smell your poppers from here.”
Jesus Ken's “packaging” was also detailed with lyrics reminiscent of the hit single “I’m just Ken,” and presented in perfect Barbie font.
“My name is actually really Ken, and for years I’ve been a display director and a prop maker.” Ken explained to SFist. “I’ve done a lot of props and projects for Barbie professionally, so how could I not do this this year? It was Ken’s year.”
And an actual wedding proposal broke out during the Foxy Mary contest! This contestant group was called “Will you Mary me?”, and indeed, the Mary to whom the marriage proposal was directed did say yes, as the crowd of thousands applauded heartily.
This year's Hunky Jesus Contest audience nailed it with some pretty sweet arrangements on this Easter Sunday that also served as the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence anniversary party.
Peep some of these egg-celent costumes, many of which absolutely lived up to the occasion.
The Sisters did a nice turn where they brought last year’s Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest winners back onstage. The ensemble group and 2023 Hunky Jesus champions Haus of Jesus did a political “From the River to the Sea” dance protest (one of a few pro-Palestine messages that came up over the course of the day). Last year’s Foxy Mary winner, Free Choice Mary, announced her new pro-choice political project.
“I was really inspired to do this when the Sisters were under fire for what happened with the LA Dodgers,” Free Choice Mary told SFist. “My photo was actually being used on conservative websites as ‘trans man winning an abortion award.’ I want to spread the word that religion and abortion actually do intersect in a beautiful and compassionate way.”
Other Marys in the Foxy Mary contests included Make Love Not War Mary, Extra Virgin Mary, and a Miscarriage Mary (“I’m rewriting history so that Jesus never existed,” she told the crowd). The finals came down to the very sweet Maria de Confecciones Immaculada, and Puta Mary, who won thanks to a raucous cheering section from St. James Infirmary.
There was also the Easter Bonnet Contest, with one contestant declaring they’d built their bonnet out of “everything Dollar Tree had to offer.”
But your Easter Bonnet Contest winner was Miguel Gutierrez, seen above with his bear-y good Statue of Liberty bonnet. Gutierrez told us that part of his inspiration was that “Today is Transgender Day of Visibility.”
Indeed, Easter Sunday and the Hunky Jesus Contest did fall on March 31 this year, which is annually Transgender Day of Visibility. Those two occasions will not fall on the same date again for more than 10 more years.
But “doo-bie” aware that next year, Easter Sunday and the Hunky Jesus Contest will fall on the marijuana holiday of 4/20. That’s another year away, so in the meanwhile, enjoy some more pictures from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence 45th Anniversary party and Easter Sunday in Dolores Park.
Images: Joe Kukura, SFist
