Michele Bruno (1941-2016) was a South African drag queen and hairdresser. Bruno lived in Johannesburg and came to perform drag in the 1960s. He was the first Miss Gay South Africa in 1969.
Michele Bruno | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1941 |
| Died | 2016 (aged 74–75) |
| Nationality | South African |
| Occupations |
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Biography edit
Bruno was born in 1941 and his parents were Italian immigrants to South Africa.[1] By 1960, Bruno was performing as a drag queen, though his day job was working as a hairdresser in Johannesburg.[1] Bruno used male pronouns and was considered "gender-variant."[1][2]
In 1960, Bruno was involved in the first commercial drag show at the Jewish Guild Theatre.[1] Bruno received some infamy after being arrested for "masquerading as a woman" in the 1966 Forest Town raid.[2] Bruno's name, along with other attendees was printed in the paper.[3] In 1969, Bruno was named the first Miss Gay South Africa.[2]
Bruno continued to work as a hairdresser until his death in 2016.[1] He was one of the subjects of an exhibition at Museum Africa, "Joburg Tracks."[4] A 1997 oral history by Bruno and an archive of materials saved by Bruno is part of the Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action (GALA) collection.[5]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e Gevisser, Mark (19 May 2016). "Gay rights pioneer who blazed a trail in Jozi leaves SA richer". The Mail & Guardian. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
- ^ a b c Meslani, Zane Lelo (5 October 2018). "The Art and Struggles of Drag". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
- ^ Gevisser, Mark (15 April 2014). Lost and Found in Johannesburg: A Memoir. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-374-17676-1. Archived from the original on 1 July 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
- ^ "Tracking the gay experience". Joburg. Archived from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
- ^ Chernis, Linda (20 May 2016). "Farewell Michele Bruno" (PDF). GALA. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.