Posted by: James St. James contact

Special Birthday Wishes to Drag legend Carmen Rupe

Carmen Rupe is New Zealand's top drag queen. She's 74 years old, and has been doing drag for 60 of those 74 years. Sort of takes your breath away doesn't it? It could not have been easy to be a drag queen IN THE FIFTIES, AND IN NEW ZEALAND, of all the rugged places to put a wig on. But she was like a "Concorde ice breaker," says a friend. According to 3 News: "She opened a string of businesses throughout Wellington - coffee lounges, nightclubs and brothels. But for the first time, they were places that were openly gay and indiscriminating. 'Treated everyone the same, no one was better than the other, whether you were socialite society or down the gutter you know you're all the same to me,' says Carmen." And when The Morning News in Sydney, Australia asked her who her heroes were a few years ago, she said "Frieda Kahlo, Mother Theresa, and Sophia Loren." And I think I see traces of all three of those women in that look and in that smile. Carry on, gurl! You are LEGEND! (via Towleroad)



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