Belle Michele

As a young boy Michele was destined for the priesthood, but he later became a celebrated drag queen and stripper. With no formal training Michele also became a hairstylist to the Who's Who of Johannesburg.

The late Jane Engelhard sent Michele to work with the legendary hair maestro Alexandre of Paris at a time when luminaries like Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn, the Duchess of Windsor and Jackie Kennedy were his clients. Later when Michele worked as a hairdresser in New York he became a confidant of Truman Capote, whom he met at Studio 54, who was already on a downward spiral of drugs and alcohol Full stop.

On his return to South Africa which was under the oppressive Apartheid regime, Michele was arrested for being a gay activist — he was involved in the famous Forest Town party held on the 22nd January 1966, when police arrested 9 people, including Michele for the crime of masquerading as a woman. For this “crime” Michele was imprisoned in the notorious Old Fort. The Forest Town party was a precursor to the American Stonewall riots.

Michele was later to adopt the two black daughters of his domestic helper Gloria, Kgomotso and Dineo. Single stop after Dineo. These adoptions were at the time both highly courageous and illegal.

The foreword to this book has been written by highly respected, openly gay judge, Justice Edwin Cameron whom Nelson Mandela hailed as “One of South Africa’s new heroes.”