Barbie Breakout - Tragisch, aber geil

2013, Barbie Breakout, Drag queen, German,

Original title: "Tragisch, aber geil: Zu wahr, um schön zu sein" (Tragic, but awesome: Too true to be beautiful) by Barbie Breakout.

To come up with an autobiography after only 34 years of life may seem presumptuous. Especially if, despite all the notoriety, you really aren't an international celebrity. But as soon as you have read the first few pages of "Tragic, but awesome", you realize that a life is being told here in which there is more than enough history that wanted to be written.

Often with shameful openness and never too vain, Barbie tells her life, in which, in addition to sex, drugs and scandals, it is always about the search for personal happiness. A sincere, honest book full of emitions and filled with sometimes touching, sometimes hilarious stories. A snapshot of a stunning city, a guide to a life that never gets boring and, last but not least, a support for anyone who is struggling in their life. You don't have to know or like Barbie Breakout to feel at home in this book and have a lot of completely politically incorrect

Barbie Breakout is the stage name of Timo Pfaff, a German drag performer, podcaster, author, make-up artist, and LGBTQ activist. She gained fame through her multifaceted career, working as a hairstylist and makeup artist, sometimes for celebrities, and finally developing a career in drag, DJing at various nightclubs.

In 2013, she gained international recognition when she sewed her mouth together with a needle and thread as a protest against Russian anti-gay “propaganda” laws. This act of defiance brought her into the global spotlight and solidified her status as a prominent LGBTQ activist. 

Furthermore, her role as a host and judge on the popular show “Drag Race Germany” has also contributed to her fame. Drag Race Germany is a German reality competition series, based on the original American series, RuPaul's Drag Race. The series is broadcast on MTV and Paramount+ in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland and on WOW Presents Plus internationally.

She has authored two books. In addition to her books, she has also been featured in interviews and articles where she shares her knowledge and heartfelt messages. Her main goal is to educate the masses about all things queer, about HIV, about racism, and transphobia. She is a prominent figure in the German LGBTQ community.

Available via lili-elbe.de