Jack Fertig - Sister Boom Boom - dies (early member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence)

SFGate.com ^ | 8/7/12 | Carl Nolte

[NormsRevenge]

Jack Fertig, a professional astrologer who became famous as Sister Boom Boom, one of the early members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, during San Francisco's gay scene of the 1980s, died Sunday at his San Francisco home.

Mr. Fertig, who was 57, was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2011, said Elias Trevino, his partner of 18 years. He had been in hospice care and returned home only the day before he died.

In his persona as Sister Boom Boom, he was the best known and most flamboyant of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a group of mostly gay activists whose spoof of Roman Catholic religious women delighted - and outraged - thousands of people in the early flowering of the Castro District as a gay mecca.

In 1982, running as Sister Boom Boom and listing his occupation as "nun of the above," Mr. Fertig got 23,124 votes as a candidate for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He came in eighth; the first five were elected. ..

Sister Boom Boom also tried to run for mayor against Dianne Feinstein, but the supervisors passed an ordinance prohibiting candidates from using assumed names.

...

By 1985, Mr. Fertig said, something snapped. "I was tired of being the whipping boy for San Francisco being a weird town," he said. "The party got stale."

Mr. Fertig quit drinking and drugs. "He became sober in 1985 and was sober for the rest of his life," Trevino said.

He had a spiritual side, as well. He was at various times a Catholic and an Episcopalian, and he worked with Jewish organizations. Toward the end of his life, he embraced Islam. In 2009, he participated in protests at the Israeli Consulate in San Francisco in favor of Palestinians.

[NormsRevenge]

Sister Boom Boom, with help from some of the "girls" conducts an exorcism
during a noon rally at Union Square. ORS - Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
Photo: Chris Stewart, SFC / SF

[notaliberal]

I’m sure he had an enlightning meeting Sunday!

[katykelly]

sniff..

[Amberdawn]

This clown was a featured persona in Randy Shilt’s book “And The Band Played On”, which I’ve read several times. C.S. Lewis or Chesterton (I don’t remember) once said that “a person who believes in nothing will end up believing in anything”. I can’t think of a more fitting epitaph for this guy’s gravestone.

[Bernard Marx]

He was at various times a Catholic and an Episcopalian, and he worked with Jewish organizations. Toward the end of his life, he embraced Islam. In 2009, he participated in protests at the Israeli Consulate in San Francisco in favor of Palestinians.

He/she/it was confused about more things than sexual orientation! I'd like to say I'm sorry he/shee-it is dead but I'm not. Some toxic pests don't deserve sympathy.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Why is it okay for homosexuals to insult religion, as in this case of these Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence?

But, if an owner of a fast food place believes that marriage should be a man and a woman, the homosexual community thinks it’s okay to destroy him and his business?

Why is it okay for the homosexual community to be so intolerant, but the rest of us are required to tolerate any damn thing the homosexual community wants to do????

[fieldmarshaldj]

Prayers for a deeply misguided soul.

[Beowulf9]

57 isn’t that old, but then again it is the number of states we have.

[Billthedrill]

RIP if it's possible. I met the fellow twice during my Silicon Valley days. He was actually quite nice but seriously lit both times. When they weren't freaking the straights with deliberately blasphemous street theater the Sisters really did do hospice work and outreach to dying AIDS patients, as well as collecting money for local charities. One of them told me with a straight face that he thought he really was a nun.

No relationship with God, of course, which is a bit of a problem if you really think you're a nun. And yet, behind the mockery was fear. A fascinating thing to see, really.

[JennysCool]

Thoughtful post, Bill. Thanks!

[ninonitti]

Jetzt ganz Fertig

[GraceG]

[Toward the end of his life, he embraced Islam. In 2009, he participated in protests at the Israeli Consulate in San Francisco in favor of Palestinians. ]

I’m Shocked! Shocked I tell you!

Sisters of perpetual Indulgence, more like they never indulged in a good history book or they would have known their kind would be the first thrown off of Achmed-a-nut-job’s Gay Toss tower.

[Secret Agent Man]

Homosexuals live such long and healthy lives. My gosh, 57.

All that good living. Just rots that body from the inside out.

[corkoman]

I met Sister BB and other SOPI on Haight street in 82 - bought a writ of Perpetual Indulgence for 1.00 still have it. Yes they were/are blasphemous but they were also gracious and fun. His campaign against Dianne F had the best poster of him riding a broom in the sky a la Wicked Witch of the West shouting 'Surrender Diane' - priceless.

RIP Sister BB.

[USS Alaska]

Yes they were/are blasphemous but they were also gracious and fun.

If you think that butt sniffers and knob gobblers, wearing Nun's garb, and mocking Jesus Christ is fun, you are queer.

[CatherineofAragon]

"He was actually quite nice but seriously lit both times. When they weren't freaking the straights with deliberately blasphemous street theater"

I'm sorry, but there is nothing "quite nice" about a person who deliberately blasphemes God.

[Future Snake Eater]

I’m sure he had an enlightning meeting Sunday!

And how!