The drag performer came to UEA to discuss their new book, ‘Release the Beast’

ABOVE: KR Moorhead and Bimini Bon Boulash [credit: Maja Anushka]

_{[This article was originally written for and published by Concrete Newspaper.]}

People of influence are well represented by the fans they have, and those waiting to see Bimini Bon Boulash are characterised by animal prints, colourful hair, and bold makeup.

Taking my seat, I settle into the excited buzz of the room. It doesn’t feel like we’re about to watch a book launch – the energy feels like an audience waiting for a performance. Considering Bimini’s career, a drag performer who started out in East London in 2017, this anticipation makes sense. Bimini broke through the mainstream media when they were cast in RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, Season Two. KR Moorhead comes onstage and wastes no time before introducing the main event, and Bimini sets the tone for the evening by walking down the Lecture Theatre stairs in 10-inch heels as the entire room whoops and whistles.

I’m delighted when I see they’re donning the same outfit from the first episode of Drag Race – a feminised, high fashion version of Norwich City FC’s uniform. Originally from Great Yarmouth, Bimini gushes about how good it feels to be back in Norwich, joking “Prince of Wales Road needs to come with a trigger warning.” 

Prince of Wales Road needs to come with a trigger warning.

Bimini Bon Boulash

Bimini’s presence onstage is immediately comfortable, casual, and genuine. Moorhead quickly gets into the meat of the conversation, discussing being gender nonconforming and non-binary, and Bimini says they’ve always been intrigued by the idea of the ‘bimbo’. They explain they were influenced by certain versions of femininity they saw growing up, like Katie Price and Pamela Anderson. When speaking further about women in the media, Bimini, who studied Journalism, shows their extensive knowledge of broadcast culture. “The British media have a lot to be held accountable for,” they say, and of their own youth: “we saw female breakdowns as entertainment. Now we know what Britney has gone through – Free Britney, thank God.”

Moorhead praises them on their transparency about errors in judgement, and Bimini replies that it’s important to them to promote honesty, kindness, and understanding. One of the main messages of the new book, Release the Beast, is “nobody’s perfect.” 

When taking audience questions, one person asks how to approach gender identity conversations with unaccepting family members. At first, Bimini jokes, “go on a mainstream TV show, and give them no choice!” However, then they note that it’s a very tricky topic. They stress their belief that human beings “are open to hearing other people’s experiences,” but that this can lead to hostility if conversations are approached with aggression. Bimini advises the audience to “be open to the other person as well. Why do they feel like this? Why are they misinformed?”

I ask Bimini what the hardest part of publishing a book was, and they reply: “Writing it.” Bimini explains they initially found the process “very difficult” but got through it by taking it chapter by chapter, and with help from Shon Faye, who recently published her own debut, The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice. 

The best art comes from fucking up.

Bimini Bon Boulash

Release the Beast tackles gender identity, self-expression, fashion, queerness, and mental health advice. Bimini reads the introduction to the room and says that self-help books aren’t usually written for people like them – queer, non-binary, and working class – and describes their book as an ‘anti-self-help book’. Bimini finishes the extract with: “the best art comes from fucking up.”

_{[This article was originally written for and published by Concrete Newspaper.]}