Interview with Claire Slingerland

Monika: Today I would like to present to you Claire Slingerland, a Dutch filmmaker from Almere, the Netherlands, the director of the documentary "De Oversteek'' (The Step) and owner of film production company Blits Motion, as well as a proud transgender woman. Hello Claire!

Claire: Hello Monika! Thank you for inviting me.

Monika: You seem to be a woman of many talents. Could you say a few words about yourself?

Claire: Yes, I can. I'm a sixty years old woman from the Netherlands. I'm married to my wonderful wife and together we have two grown-up kids. With my team at Blits Motion we make movies for companies. And I'm associated with a foundation wherefore I make documentaries about inclusive and diversity subjects.

I'm now preparing a documentary to pay attention to 1000 to 2000 homeless LGBT young people in my country. They became homeless because they were not accepted by their parents. I want to make people aware of this problem because most people have no idea this is happening in our country. And I want to explore whether there is room within the parents' beliefs to accept their child.

Interview with Katerina

Monika: Today I have the pleasure and honor of interviewing Katerina, a Russian social media influencer, linguist, and transgender woman living in Kyiv, Ukraine that shares her transition story on social media. Hello Katerina!

Katerina: Hello Monika! Thank you for the offer to participate in your project. You're doing a great job!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Katerina: I started my transition about 10 years ago. Then, after graduating from the university, I started working as an escort. What an irony to go into such a profession with a master's degree! However, for transgender people, this is often the only chance to make money for the transition, at least in Russia. I underwent hormone therapy, had several plastic surgeries, officially changed my documents to female, and moved from Moscow to Kyiv (Ukraine), where no one knew me.

Interview with Sarah Wolf

Monika: Today I have the pleasure and honor of interviewing Sarah Wolf, an American business consultant, businesswoman, and transgender woman from Seattle, Washington, that shares her transition story on social media. Hello Sarah!

Sarah: Hi Monika. Thank you for the opportunity to chat about my background.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Sarah: Well, I grew up in Colorado and Nebraska and have lived all over the US, but for the last 20 years I have lived in Seattle, Washington. I also work as a business consultant along with running a small business on the side.

Monika: What inspired you to share your intimate life moments via social media?

Sarah: I have always been open about my experience and having transitioned nearly twenty years ago, I wanted to offer my perspective on life and the experience of being a transgender woman who transitioned before the advent of social media.

Interview with Nora Eckert

Today we are going to Berlin in Germany, where I would like to present to you an inspirational woman from Germany. Born on March 14, 1954, in Nuremberg, Nora Eckert is a well-known German cultural journalist and theater and opera critic. She is the author of many books and articles about German cultural events. I am going to talk with her about her recently published autobiography “Wie alle, nur anders. Ein transsexuelles Leben in Berlin” (Like everyone, just different. A transsexual life in Berlin), the history of the German transgender movement, and her own journey towards womanhood. Hello Nora!

Nora: Hello Monika, nice to meet you!

Monika: How are you doing in these crazy pandemic times?

Nora: These days are really crazy. None of us have ever experienced anything like this. But despite all the limitations, I try to live as "normally" as possible. Of course, I stick to the rules. Fortunately, I am not only a person interested in culture, but also a nature-loving person. While the theaters, museums, concert halls, cinemas were closed, I could at least go hiking. There are beautiful landscapes around Berlin and running is very good for my health!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Nora: You've already introduced me a little bit. I was not born in Berlin, but have lived here for 48 years. For me, this city was love at first sight, although back in 1973 Berlin was still divided and looked very different than it does today.

Interview with Darlene

Monika: Today I have the pleasure and honor of interviewing Darlene, an American woman from Michigan, USA, who works as a transformation coach for software development organizations, who shares her transition story on social media. Hello Darlene! 

Darlene: Hello Monika! Thank you for this opportunity to speak and share my story on your site.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Darlene: Sure! I’m 49 and the proud parent of two daughters, ages 19 & 18. Besides spending time with my kids, I love traveling around the US and Canada, cooking, riding roller coasters, and playing video games. In 2021, I began dating an amazing woman who got me to give mountain biking a try and I am loving that activity too!

Monika: What inspired you to share your intimate life moments via social media?

Darlene: From my earliest days of viewing the trans community on social media, I saw it as an amazing way to connect with others in a similar situation. What we all go through with transition isn’t easy! Irrespective of where we live around the world, our backgrounds, our life interests, or our age differences, we form bonds over this major life event.

Interview with Geneviève van Lynden

Monika: Today I have invited an inspirational woman. Geneviève van Lynden is a Dutch transgender woman, model, former police officer, mountains lover, and one of the icons of the Dutch transgender movement in the ’80s and ’90s. We are going to talk about her life and transgender experience in the previous century. Hello Geneviève! 

Geneviève: Hi Monika. Let me start by complimenting you on your great initiative. I love that you put so much time and energy into interviewing so many people for many years now. Your website has become a great time document; a resource that is rich in information about the past and presence of the lives of hundreds of transgender women.

You have interviewed so many inspiring transgender women. Like you, I admire many of them. How can I stand in their shadow? Nevertheless, I also have a story to tell and I am honored that you give me that chance.

Monika: Geneviève, you look like a million dollars. How are you doing this?

Geneviève: Thank you Monika. I'm happy and I radiate that, I think. In my younger years - I am now 62 years old - I knew of course that I looked good. At least that's what everyone told me. And I thoroughly enjoyed that. It pleases me that apparently I am still considered attractive to some even today.