‘I never experienced discrimination once’ says Adelaide’s 95-year-old drag queen Roger Shepard

For the first 43 years of Roger’s life being gay was illegal - but he says he never faced any discrimination and the only police officer who ever arrested him is an interesting story.

JANUARY 31, 2025 Adelaide's oldest drag queen - Roger is 95 with pics of him in his hey day. He had an illustrious life as a drag queen who looked very much like a real woman and toured with Les Girls. Picture: RoyVPhotography

For the first 43 years of Roger Shepard’s life it was illegal to be gay in South Australia.

During that time, police would go around to certain venues and make sure men were not wearing more than two items of women’s clothing at a time.

Roger, softly spoken with even softer skin, says he thinks it’s because he has been blessed with good luck.

“I have had the most charmed life - everything has just fallen my away, I’ve been so lucky and the people of Adelaide have always been so good to me” he said.

But there might have been another reason why Roger - born and bred in St Peters who performed in Shirley Bassett style drag for decades - always had a good time.

When Roger, already petite and pretty, dressed as ‘Rouge’ he looked very much like a real woman.

Yet he has never questioned his gender identity. He is very much a male - just one who really likes theatre.

Roger Shepard (aka Rouge) pictured at his Marryatville home on his 80th birthday.

His big ballads, grand gestures and flawless mimicking eventually drew the attention of the legendary Les Girls who performed in a Kings Cross Nightclub owned by organised crime figure Abe Saffron.

Along his travels Roger as Rouge had an interesting encounter with Judy Garland in a lift at a hotel.

She seemed excited by him and his drag. So excited in fact, she invited him into her hotel for a drink, talking all the way there.

“But once we’d gone into the hotel apartment, she went into her bedroom and shut the door and didn’t come out here again,” he said, leaving Rouge to drink with Garland’s entourage.

Later he would have a more conventional experience getting tipsy with Judy’s daughter Liza Minnelli at a city bar.

Adelaide's oldest drag queen. Picture: RoyVPhotography

Roger has not just lived through the Great Depression and WWII but a period of massive social change.

In December 1973, homosexuality was declassified as a mental illness.

In 1975, South Australia became the first state in Australia to decriminalise homosexuality following the murder of law academic George Duncan.

Undercover police officers have long been suspected of killing George Duncan. Bevan Spencer Von Einem

But then came the HIV/AIDS epidemic, reversing the trend in public acceptance of gay people and their culture.

Yet despite all the nights Roger spent out in drag in Adelaide, he said he never once faced any discrimination.

Roger Shepard aka Adelaide's celebrated drag queen, 'Rouge'.

“The one time I got arrested by a police officer it was by accident,” Roger said.

“He thought I was part of a rowdy group when I was just walking past.”

The problem was quickly solved once they got down to the station and the police officer ended up taking him home.

The 47th annual Sydney Mardi Gras Parade runs until Sunday.

Originally published as ‘I never experienced discrimination once’ says Adelaide’s 95-year-old drag queen Roger Shepard