Raised with 12 siblings on a sheep and cattle farm in Taumarunui Rupe took on the name Carmen in the late 1950s after moving to Sydney and becoming ‘New Zealand’s first iconic drag queen’.
Biographical sources
- “Carmen Rupe.” In ‘Diversity & Civil Rights.’ Museum of New Zealand: Te Papa Tongarewa. http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/WhatsOn/exhibitions/SliceofHeaven/Exhibition/Diversity/Pages/gayrightsobject.aspx?irn=2615
- “Carmen Rupe (1935-) Performer, Mayoral Candidate.” 5 May 2010. http://zagria.blogspot.com/2010/05/carmen-rupe-1935-performer-mayoral.html
Biography
- Carmen: My Life from Schoolboy to Successful Businesswoman. As told to Paul Martin. Auckland, N.Z.: Benton Ross, 1988.
Other
- "Carmen Recalls Coffee Lounge Glory Days." 23 Apr. 2006. Gay.co.nz
http://www.qna.net.nz/news/696.html
4 Aug. 2011.
- "Carmen: Whacky Twist To A New Drug Bust Tells All to Tim." Te Iwi o Aotearoa 14 (1988): 16.
- Coughlan, Kate. "Just a Shy Boy." Evening Post 26 Dec. 1997: 17.
- Haines, Leah. "An Audience with the Queen." Herald on Sunday 23 Aug. 2006. 26-27.
- Lomas, David. "In the Crossfire." Listener 8 May 2010: 28-29.
- McLernon, Rosemary. "Carmen on Strong." More Apr. 1988: 28-37.
- Mannion, Robert. "Carmen Relives Those Glory, Whorey Days." Sunday Times 13 Feb. 1994: 7.
- O’Brien, Tova. "NZ’s Top Drag Queen Delebrates 74th Birthday." 3 News 9 Oct. 2009. http://www.3news.co.nz/NZs-top-drag-queen-celebrates-74th-birthday/tabid/418/articleID/124810/Default.aspx
- Reid, Campbell. "Carment: Older, Wiser and Home." Wellington Cosmo Dec. 1984: 20+.
- Wharemate-Sadler, Wairua. "Who Was That Woman?" Man to Man 17 Feb. 1994: 11.