It starts with the removal of body hair. All body hair, that is.
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“On the day, I’ll shave my beard off, so I have a really clean shave. And all my chest hair comes off on the same day,” Timberlina, the Newcastle drag queen told Topics.
“Then on the day, I usually start makeup about 2.5 hours beforehand. Before I actually leave my house, that is, to go to a show.”
The makeup includes three layers of foundation. And eyebrows need to be done.
“And then, I get into four pairs of Spanx and stockings, tucking everything and then costumes. It’s a lot of effort.”
Sounds like it. Spanx, you said?
“Girls wear them all the time to suck their guts in, apparently. They work, so I wear four pairs. And I usually wear the size that’s two sizes too small, so it really sucks everything in,” she said.
Timberlina has been a drag queen for a year now. Next month, she’ll compete for the title of Miss First Nation against six other Indigenous drag queens from across Australia.
When she’s out of character, Timberlina becomes Tim.
Tim works in the construction industry.
“I must say when I first started doing drag, everyone in the office was like ‘whoa’.”
Now it’s become a normal part of office life. That’s partly because Tim talks about Timberlina often. Plus, he gets his costumes, shoes and wigs delivered to the office.
His co-workers are supportive.
“A lot of them come to my shows,” he said.
Tim grew up in Gulgong – a small country town, 25 minutes from Mudgee.
“When I was 12, we moved to Newcastle,” Tim said.
“I’ve always been a performer. But then, I think it really hit home in June last year when I was visiting my sister in the US.
“We went to heaps of drag shows. I was like ‘I want to do this and it just happened’.”
Bingo with Timberlina is held most weeks at The Beaumont Hamilton.
She also travels the country, hosting a show called Blush - Drag Queens of the Night, which gives amateur drag queens opportunities to strut their stuff.
Timberlina loves performing in drag.
“It not only gives me an excuse to dress up in sparkles and heels, but it provides joy and laughter to the people who choose to join in on the fun with me by attending my shows.”
A GoFundMe page, titled Timberlina to Miss First Nation, is rallying support for her shot at winning the glittery crown.
A Turkey Invasion
Reader Dave Sharpe was interested to read our story last week about a bush turkey invading the Fernleigh Track.
The turkey had made a “speed bump” for cyclists out of leaves and dirt.
Dave said his wife and kids spotted six bush turkeys in his Kotara South backyard in early winter.
“They are regular visitors and we see at least one or two a week. Wasn’t it the South Park cartoon that predicted we would be taken over by these beasts?”