The Girlfriend Experience (drag queen) explained

The Girlfriend Experience
Birth Date:25 June 1991
Birth Place:Germany[1]
Other Names:Berlin Le Bon[2]
Girlfriend
Berlin Stiller[3]
Occupation:Drag queen
Television:Canada's Drag Race (season 4)

The Girlfriend Experience (or simply Girlfriend) is the stage name of Berlin Le Bon, a German-born, Canada-based drag performer and trans activist who appeared on the first season of Canada's a Drag and competed on season 4 of Canada's Drag Race.[4]

Early life

The Girlfriend Experience was born in Germany. She was raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Germany, by her mother and father, respectively.

As a teenager, she was kicked out of her home by her mother when it was discovered that she was attending gay bars. She then began performing in drag as Berlin Stiller on Davie Street in Vancouver while working part-time at a local McDonald's. She reconnected with her mother after a year of performing, which motivated her to become sober from alcohol.[3]

Career

Under the drag name Berlin Stiller, she was featured in the CBC Gem docu-series Canada's a Drag.

The Girlfriend Experience competed on season 4 of Canada's Drag Race. She was the second contestant to be eliminated.[5] On the show, she and fellow contestant Denim said using the terms "AFAB" and "AMAB" (assigned female at birth and assigned male at birth, respectively) can be transphobic when used to categorize drag entertainers.[6]

Personal life

The Girlfriend Experience is a trans woman.[7] She lives in Vancouver.[8]

Filmography

Television

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 'Canada's Drag Race' Season 4 cast announced . Bowness . Gordon . xtramagazine.com . Pink Triangle Press . December 20, 2023 . October 19, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231019003927/https://xtramagazine.com/culture/canadas-drag-race-season-4-cast-announced-258276 . live .
  2. Web site: Heartbreak . music.apple.com . Apple Inc. . December 23, 2023.
  3. Web site: How Vancouver drag icon Berlin Stiller went from serving Big Macs to serving her own 'full fantasy' . Knegt . Peter . cbc.ca . CBC/Radio-Canada . December 20, 2023 . March 19, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230319180559/https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4587850 . live .
  4. Web site: 2023-12-11 . 'Canada's Drag Race' Star The Girlfriend Experience On Being Proud, Pretty & Ready To Take On The World . 2023-12-21 . Yahoo News . en-US.
  5. Web site: Guzzo . Bianca . 2023-12-02 . Canada's Drag Race Season 4: Sashay Q&Eh With The Girlfriend Experience . 2023-12-21 . IN Magazine . en . 2023-12-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231221003733/https://inmagazine.ca/2023/12/canadas-drag-race-season-4-sashay-qeh-with-the-girlfriend-experience/ . live .
  6. Web site: Wratten . Marcus . 2023-11-24 . Canada's Drag Race stars explains why term 'AFAB' is 'transphobic' . 2023-12-21 . . en-US . 2023-11-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231129072631/https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/11/24/canadas-drag-race-denim-the-girlfriend-experience-bio-queen-afab-queen-transphobic/ . live .
  7. Web site: Guerra . Joey . 2023-12-12 . 'Canada's Drag Race' Q&A: The Girlfriend Experience talks getting to know herself as a woman . 2023-12-21 . Houston Chronicle . en . 2023-12-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231212190801/https://www.houstonchronicle.com/entertainment/movies_tv/article/canadas-drag-race-girlfriend-experience-eliminated-18547488.php . live .
  8. Web site: 2023-12-01 . 'Canada's Drag Race' Season 4: 'Prettiest' queen The Girlfriend Experience admits she wasn't 'emotionally prepared' . 2023-12-21 . Yahoo News . en-CA . 2023-12-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231215213931/https://ca.news.yahoo.com/crave-canada-drag-race-season-4-the-girlfriend-experience-213736194.html . live .