Carmen Rupe lived a life that defied categories. Born in Aotearoa (New Zealand) in 1936, she became a beloved drag queen, sex worker, businesswoman, and politician who challenged norms and reshaped the culture of both New Zealand and Australia. Her legacy is one of audacity, resilience, and glamour.
In this episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast, host Kaytlin Bailey recounts the remarkable life of Carmen Rupe, a Māori queen whose story deserves to be told and retold.
Carmen performed in drag in the 1950s, before it was legal. She was arrested, but when she showed up to court dressed as herself the judge told her to come back in clothes for men. She looked so ridiculous that the judge declared that she looked better as a woman and should be allowed to stay that way, winning the rights for trans Kiwi’s to present themselves.
While her star rose as a drag performer she also operated a boarding house and opened Carmen’s Coffee Lounge, which operated as a brothel upstairs and a popular cafe downstairs. The entire place was painted red. Carmen created a coded teacup system to help clients discreetly indicate their gender and preference if they were looking for companionship, protecting the safety and dignity of her community.
But she wasn’t just creating nightlife. She was creating infrastructure. Carmen’s Coffee Lounge became a magnet for trans folks, sex workers, and the people who would go on to decriminalize sex work in New Zealand. She created opportunities for the next generation.
In 1977, Carmen ran for mayor of Wellington on a radical platform: legalize sex work, support gay rights, extend nightlife hours. She didn’t expect to win—but her candidacy drew media attention and helped shift the cultural conversation around LGBTQ+ rights and sex work.
She used style, humor, and her ability to put on an amazing party as effective tools for advocacy. Later in life she testified before Parliament about sex work and rode topless in her mobility scooter during pride parade. She never stopped showing up for her people.
Her funeral was a national event. Mourners lined the streets.
She mentored younger generations of activists and performers—including Georgina Beyer, the first openly transgender woman elected to Parliament in the world, who credited Carmen with paving the way for her and other trans politicians. Carmen’s public profile forced conversations that shaped New Zealand’s progressive approach to queer and sex work rights, including its landmark decriminalization of sex work in 2003.
But Carmen wasn’t just a symbol—she was a provider. She made space. She opened doors. She built systems where there had been none. In a time and place where trans people were criminalized, Carmen offered spaces, community and opportunities.
The Oldest Profession Podcast reminds listeners that sex workers have always been part of the story. Each episode focuses on an “old pro” from history, contextualizing that figure in their own time and connecting their story to the ongoing struggle for sex worker rights. Kaytlin Bailey created The Oldest Profession Podcast to be an accessible and entertaining resource for anyone who wants to learn more about sex workers and our place in history.
Watch
Hayes, Lucy, director. Carmen Rupe. 2010.
This short film from director Lucy Hayes discusses the life and impact of Carmen Rupe.
Steven, Geoff, director. Carmen. Vidcom, 1989.
This documentary follows the life of Carmen Rupe as a sex worker, business owner, activist, and icon in Aotearoa.
Read
Brickell, Chris. Mates and Lovers: A history of gay New Zealand. Auckland, N.Z: Godwit, 2008.
This book by Chris Brickell, a professor of gender studies, provides an overview of New Zealand queer history. It discusses Rupe and includes descriptions of two of Rupe’s businesses, the International Coffee Lounge and the Balcony. Each establishment was characterized by luxurious decor and the availability of sex. The text highlights the ways in which Rupe’s businesses platformed gender and sexually diverse performers, but also their role in the community.
Brickell, Chris. “Moral Panic or Critical Mass? The Queer Contradictions of 1950s New Zealand.” In Queer 1950s: Rethinking Sexuality in the Postwar Years, edited by Matt Cook and Heike Bauer, 94–114. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.
This chapter, authored by Chris Brickell, discusses the cultural climate of 1950s New Zealand, especially as it relates to sexuality.
Martin, Paul. Carmen: My Life: As Told to Paul Martin. Auckland, N.Z.: Benton Ross, 1988
This book chronicles the colorful life of Carmen Rupe, as she relayed it to Paul Martin.
Parliamentary Library. “Prostitution Law Reform in New Zealand.” Wellington: New Zealand Parliament, July 10, 2012.
A research paper published by the New Zealand Parliament outlines the history of sex work in New Zealand with attention to legal developments. It explains the reforms undertaken in New Zealand, with many taking place during the life of Carmen Rupe.
Bailey, Kaytlin. “What Does Decriminalized Sex Work Actually Look Like?” Reason, May 29, 2024.
In this article, Kaytlin Bailey recounts her visits to Australia and New Zealand and shares her findings on decriminalization. She mentions Carmen Rupe and shares a link to an article about her from Archives New Zealand.
“Carmen’s International Coffee Lounge and the Balcony.” Te Papa, n.d.
This article by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa showcases two of Carmen Rupe’s businesses and includes images of the costumes, photographs, and ephemera donated by Rupe to Te Papa.
Hartendorp, Kassie. “What Do We Really Know about Gender Diversity in Te Ao Māori?” The Spinoff, October 23, 2019.
This article, written by a student of Māori laws and philosophy, outlines pre-colonial Māori attitudes towards sexual and gender fluidity. It highlights the fact that gender-diverse individuals were accepted by their communities and that much of the opposition (legal and social) to diverse gender expression in Aotearoa are the result of European and Christian influence. The article includes a link to a video interview with Takatāpui scholar and activist Elizabeth Kerekere (Takatāpui is a term used to describe people who identify with diverse sexualities, genders, and sex characteristics).
Johnstone, Brandon, and Natasha Hope-Johnstone. “LGBT History: A Radical Movement.” International Socialist Organisation Aotearoa, March 28, 2022.
This article provides an overview of LGBT history in Aotearoa, starting with pre-colonial practices and ending in more modern times. A small section describes queer culture in the 1950s, highlighting covert meeting places like coffeehouses.
McBride, Kerry. “Teacups Talked at Carmen’s Coffee Lounge.” Stuff, March 26, 2012.
This article details Carmen’s International Coffee Lounge, describing the scene and culture that thrived there.
“Transgender Icon Carmen Rupe Dies in NSW.” The Sydney Morning Herald, December 15, 2011.
Following her passing, the Sydney Morning Herald published an obituary for Carmen Rupe, highlighting her positivity and activism.
“Wgtn Mayor Supports Statue of ‘Statuesque’ Carmen.” Gaynz.com Daily News, December 20, 2011.
In this article, originally published in 2011, Wellington mayor Celia Wade-Brown expresses her support for the erection of a statue of Carmen Rupe and mourns her passing.
Witzenburg, Frankie. “Christine Jorgensen: America’s First Transgender Celebrity.” National Archives and Records Administration, March 26, 2024.
This article provides a biography for Christine Jorgensen, one of the people to publicly transition. The article includes links to videos about Jorgensen, including 1953 Universal Newsreel footage and a PBS video entitled, “(Trans)formation: The Story of Christine Jorgensen.”
Listen
Kennedy-Vaughan, Malcom, et al., “Carmen Rupe Memorial.” Recorded at Scotty and Mal’s Cocktail and Lounge Bar, Wellington, January 22, 2012.
An audio recording from the Carmen Rupe memorial event, held at Scotty and Mal’s Cocktail Bar in Wellington on January 22, 2012.