Pepper LaBeija

PepperLaBeija (November 5, 1948 – May 14, 2003) was an American drag queen and fashion designer. LaBeija was known as "the last remaining queen of the Harlem drag balls".

LaBeija was born in The Bronx. While LaBeija often presented as male, she preferred to be referred to by the feminine pronoun she. Around 1981, she took over from Crystal LaBeija as the head of the ball culture House of LaBeija (from which her surname was derived). She remained the head (known as "the Mother") for over 20 years.

LaBeija competed in numerous drag balls and was known for her Egyptian inspired runway performances. Over the course of her career, she won approximately 250 trophies. To earn money, she also produced drag balls and taught modeling.

LaBeija went on to meet her companion Pamela Jackson. They had a daughter together and LaBeija devoted much of her time to her family, raising her daughter and stepson. In 1992 Jackson died. As LaBeija's own health declined, her children lived with their maternal grandmother.

LaBeija suffered from diabetes mellitus type 2 and had both feet amputated as a result. She was largely bedridden for the last 10 years of her life. On May 14, 2003, LaBeija died of a heart attack at Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan at the age of 54.

LaBeija is best known for her appearances in the documentary films Paris Is Burning (1990) and How Do I Look (2006).

Malcolm McLaren quoted LaBeija in 1989 song and music video "Deep in Vogue", a tribute to the New York gay balls of the 1980s, runway competitions that involved dance, fashion and attitude.