A random collection of over 1910 books and audiobooks authored by or about my transgender, intersex sisters, and gender-nonconforming persons all over the world. I read some of them, and I was inspired by some of them. I met some of the authors and heroines, some of them are my best friends, and I had the pleasure and honor of interviewing some of them. If you know of any transgender biography that I have not covered yet, please let me know.

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Home » , , , » Carmen Rupe - Carmen: My Life

Carmen Rupe - Carmen: My Life

Full title: "Carmen: My Life - As Told to Paul Martin"

Carmen Rupe's life story, from schoolboy to successful businesswoman. According to Wikipedia, Carmen Rupe (1936-2011), was a New Zealand drag performer, brothel keeper, and transgender activist, known for being New Zealand's first drag queen to reach celebrity status.

Taking the name of the gypsy flamenco dancer Carmen Amaya, Rupe became the first Australian Maori to perform as a drag queen. She was arrested many times in New Zealand for wearing female clothes but without being prosecuted because being a drag queen was not illegal in that country.

In 1977, she ran for mayor of Wellington, with the support of local businessman Sir Bob Jones, with the campaign for the legalization of gay marriage and brothels, but she lost to Michael Fowler. She died in 2011 at the age of 75.


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