The House of Hidden Meanings by RuPaul

From international drag superstar and pop culture icon RuPaul, comes his most revealing and personal work to date—a brutally honest, surprisingly poignant, and deeply intimate memoir of growing up Black, poor, and queer in a broken home to discovering the power of performance, found family, and self-acceptance.

A profound introspection of his life, relationships, and identity, The House of Hidden Meanings is a self-portrait of the legendary icon on the road to global fame and changing the way the world thinks about drag. Central to RuPaul’s success has been his chameleonic adaptability. From drag icon to powerhouse producer of one of the world’s largest television franchises, RuPaul’s ever-shifting nature has always been part of his brand as both supermodel and supermogul.

Yet that adaptability has made him enigmatic to the public. In this memoir, his most intimate and detailed book yet, RuPaul makes himself truly known. Stripping away all artifice, RuPaul recounts the story of his life with breathtaking clarity and tenderness, bringing his signature wisdom and wit to his own biography. From his early years growing up as a queer Black kid in San Diego navigating complex relationships with his absent father and temperamental mother, to forging an identity in the punk and drag scenes of Atlanta and New York, to finding enduring love with his husband Georges LeBar and self-acceptance in sobriety, RuPaul excavates his own biography, uncovering new truths and insights in his personal history.

Here in RuPaul’s singular and extraordinary story is a manual for living—a personal philosophy that testifies to the value of chosen family, the importance of harnessing what makes you different, and the transformational power of facing yourself fearlessly. If we’re all born naked and the rest is drag, then this is RuPaul totally out of drag. This is RuPaul stripped bare.

Published by Dey Street Books
on March 5, 2024

Review:

Ask any of my friends why I turn down plans on a Friday night, and they’ll either tell you it’s because, over the last couple of years, I’ve become old and boring or that it’s because I like to spend my Friday evenings eating Chinese takeout and watching RuPaul’s Drag Race. (For the record, it’s a little bit of both.)

I’ve seen every season of Drag Race and Drag Race All-Stars and even watch the UK, Canada, and Down Under iterations. I simply can’t get enough, and it’s all because I absolutely adore RuPaul. When I saw that RuPaul had a memoir coming out that also coincided with his joining ShopQueer, rebranding it as AllStora, AND launching a book club, I immediately joined. I loved diving into this book and learning what made RuPaul who he is.

While he has written other books in the past, I found this one to be the most personal. His narrative style is raw and honest, inviting readers into the intimate corners of his life without sugarcoating anything. He doesn’t shy away from the difficult moments, the heartbreak, or the struggles with identity and self-worth.

In this book we meet little RuPaul when he lived in San Diego with his parents and three sisters. We hear about his struggles growing up gay in the 60s and 70s, his relationship with his parents and siblings, his move to Atlanta, his desire to be famous, a stint on public access television, homelessness, addiction, and finally, fame.

RuPaul paints a picture of his life that is both poignant and hopeful. His words have a way of seeping into your soul, leaving a lasting impact that transcends the pages of the book. Growing up gay is never easy – especially back then – and it was almost comforting to know that even someone like RuPaul struggled and experienced some of the same shame, self-doubt, and fear that I felt growing up. His journey from a young queer Black kid to an international drag superstar is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of embracing oneself fully. When you hear those in the LGBTQIA+ community say that it gets better once you find your people, it really is the truth.

What really stood out for me with this book was that every page is filled with RuPaul’s signature wit and charm. His story is captivating, and I was spellbound from beginning to end. I almost wish I had listened to the audiobook. I think that would have really added to the effect.

Overall, I found this to be a mesmerizing read that left me feeling hopeful. RuPaul’s courage in sharing his story so openly and honestly is both refreshing and empowering. This book is a must-read for fans of RuPaul and anyone looking for a powerful and moving memoir that celebrates the power of embracing one’s true self.