When the late Carmen Rupe was laid to rest she was able to legally use the title 'Lady' Carmen Rupe. In a small gesture to Carmen, Jurgen Hoffman, one of those who helped with Carmen's financial and personal affairs in her declining years, took advantage of a provision in Scottish landowner law that allows any of the part-owners of a Highland estate to use the courtesy titles Laird, Lord or Lady. Hoffman says a work colleague mentioned that such plots could be purchased through an internet site and he went ahead with it as "a small but fun present for Carmen." The trans-Tasman tranny diva knew before she died that the small plot had been purchased in her name, and would from time to time rather grandly tell friends that "I have land in Scotland," according to a close friend. Hoffman had hoped to present the title to Carmen as a Christmas present but sadly the final documentation confirming her courtesy title had not physically arrived in Sydney before she died in the early hours of December 15. You can discuss this New Zealand gay community news story in the GayNZ.com Forum.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 27th February 2012 - 7:44pm