Sofie Ward is a Swedish transgender musician and blogger from Hässleholm, a small town in southern Sweden. She combines her creative interests with academic studies in Art, specializing in Cultural Leadership, at Linnaeus University in Växjö. Music is an important part of Sofie’s life. She plays bass with the Swedish band Zip of Fire, whose sound draws on the roots of Motown, while her own musical interests extend across a wide range of styles. She also writes a blog, using it as a space to share her experiences and thoughts rather than pursuing the more traditional route of writing a memoir. Sofie has a distinctly down-to-earth approach to being transgender. Rather than defining herself primarily through her trans identity, she sees it as one part of a much broader life that includes music, education, relationships, fashion, and everyday interests. She is also refreshingly skeptical of the tendency to place transgender people into separate categories, whether in entertainment, politics, or beauty. Her perspective is particularly interesting for its emphasis on individuality and the idea that being transgender should not determine the limits of what a person can become.
Monika: Today I would like to introduce you to Sofie Ward, a Swedish transgender musician, blogger, activist,
and community leader. She grew up in Hässleholm, a small town in southern Sweden. Sofie is a member of the Zip
of Fire band and a student at Linnaeus University in Växjö. Hello Sofie!
Sofie: Activist and community leader seems a bit excessive. I just try to do my part in life. ;)
Monika: So, what have you been up to these days?
Sofie: Right now I'm studying "Art with a specialization in Cultural Leadership" at Linnaeus University in Växjö here in Sweden.
Sofie: Right now I'm studying "Art with a specialization in Cultural Leadership" at Linnaeus University in Växjö here in Sweden.
Monika: You play bass in a band called Zip of Fire. How did the three of you end up together?
Sofie: Well, I already knew the drummer, and I had worked with the guitarist before. When their old bass player
decided to invest his time in another band, I was the obvious replacement.
Monika: If you had to describe your sound in a few words, what would it be? And who or what inspires it?
Sofie: When it comes to the music we play with Zip, I try to find my way back to the old roots of Motown.
Otherwise, I listen to all kinds of music and find inspiration in everything!
Monika: Being transgender and being an artist, do the two ever meet? Does one shape how you see the world
through the other?
Sofie: Hmm... Probably nothing. It depends more on what options you have as a child other than being transsexual.
I don't want to believe that transsexualism affects an individual's life choices beyond the ones you make with
your body.
Monika: Any other Swedish transgender musicians or artists on your radar?
Sofie: No, unfortunately not. But maybe I will be after this interview ;)
Monika: More and more transgender women are coming out in the USA these days, and unlike in previous years, some
of them now hold real celebrity status or serious recognition, think of Lana Wachowski in film-directing, Jenna
Talackova in modeling, Kate Bornstein in academic life, Laura Jane Grace in music, or Candis Cayne in acting. Is
Sweden seeing anything like that?
Sofie: Unfortunately, we don't have any well-known transgender people who are recognized for anything beyond being transgender. Most of them are better known within the LGBT community than in society at large.
Monika: And how would you sum up where transgender women stand in Swedish society right now?
Sofie: It feels like trans women are equal to cis women. We also get poor wages and get beaten by men. Could it be more equal?
Monika: Take me back a bit. Where did you grow up?
Sofie: In Hässleholm, a small town in southern Sweden. A nice place really!
Monika: Tell me a bit about your childhood. When did you first feel that being a boy or a man wasn't right for you?
Sofie: The feeling that something was "wrong" came in early puberty, when I was around 11 to 12 years old. But I didn't understand exactly what it was until they showed documentaries about transsexualism on television. I also found a lot of information on the internet. By that time, I was maybe around 16 years old.
Sofie: Unfortunately, we don't have any well-known transgender people who are recognized for anything beyond being transgender. Most of them are better known within the LGBT community than in society at large.
Monika: And how would you sum up where transgender women stand in Swedish society right now?
Sofie: It feels like trans women are equal to cis women. We also get poor wages and get beaten by men. Could it be more equal?
Monika: Take me back a bit. Where did you grow up?
Sofie: In Hässleholm, a small town in southern Sweden. A nice place really!
Monika: Tell me a bit about your childhood. When did you first feel that being a boy or a man wasn't right for you?
Sofie: The feeling that something was "wrong" came in early puberty, when I was around 11 to 12 years old. But I didn't understand exactly what it was until they showed documentaries about transsexualism on television. I also found a lot of information on the internet. By that time, I was maybe around 16 years old.
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| On stage with her Bass. |
Monika: For most transgender girls, school or university is the toughest chapter, full of discrimination. Did
you go through the same?
Sofie: I didn't come out until I was 20 years old, when I had already left school. Thank god I never got to experience any direct attacks. At the university I'm studying at now, I haven't experienced any problems. Students at the university level seem to be thoughtful people, and therefore more open to diversity than less educated people.
Monika: When did your own transition begin? Was it hard, did your family or friends stand behind you, and did it affect your job at all?
Sofie: My transformation began when I was 20 years old. I can't really say how much support I got, but my friends did support me after all. Still, I felt this was something I wanted to do for myself.
Monika: Passing is a brutal test that so many transgender women get put through. You clearly pass as a beautiful woman yourself, but what would you say to those who struggle with it every day?
Sofie: Do it for yourself and not for anyone else! When doing my makeup or choosing clothes, I usually never think that I have to pass as a woman. I want to look good for myself and for my boyfriend. The less you think about the need to pass as a woman, the more relaxed you look. If people see that you're uncomfortable, they'll probably judge you for it.
Monika: Modern cosmetic surgery makes transitioning possible even in someone's 50s or 60s. Do you believe that's really realistic, and what would you tell a transgender woman starting out that late in life?
Sofie: I don't feel I can give any direct advice to people who have lived three times as long as I have. The only thing I can say is, "Do what you think is right for you"!
Monika: Back when you were transitioning, did you have any transgender role models to look to? How much did you actually know about being transgender at that point?
Sofie: Role models, no. Knowledge, mediocre. A large part of going through the transformation is learning things about yourself and about what you were born with. But it's also about making contact with other trans people.
Sofie: I didn't come out until I was 20 years old, when I had already left school. Thank god I never got to experience any direct attacks. At the university I'm studying at now, I haven't experienced any problems. Students at the university level seem to be thoughtful people, and therefore more open to diversity than less educated people.
Monika: When did your own transition begin? Was it hard, did your family or friends stand behind you, and did it affect your job at all?
Sofie: My transformation began when I was 20 years old. I can't really say how much support I got, but my friends did support me after all. Still, I felt this was something I wanted to do for myself.
Monika: Passing is a brutal test that so many transgender women get put through. You clearly pass as a beautiful woman yourself, but what would you say to those who struggle with it every day?
Sofie: Do it for yourself and not for anyone else! When doing my makeup or choosing clothes, I usually never think that I have to pass as a woman. I want to look good for myself and for my boyfriend. The less you think about the need to pass as a woman, the more relaxed you look. If people see that you're uncomfortable, they'll probably judge you for it.
Monika: Modern cosmetic surgery makes transitioning possible even in someone's 50s or 60s. Do you believe that's really realistic, and what would you tell a transgender woman starting out that late in life?
Sofie: I don't feel I can give any direct advice to people who have lived three times as long as I have. The only thing I can say is, "Do what you think is right for you"!
Monika: Back when you were transitioning, did you have any transgender role models to look to? How much did you actually know about being transgender at that point?
Sofie: Role models, no. Knowledge, mediocre. A large part of going through the transformation is learning things about yourself and about what you were born with. But it's also about making contact with other trans people.
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| With her band Zip of Fire. |
Monika: Looking back at your coming out, what was the hardest part of it?
Sofie: Well, taking the first step, just doing it. It's hard to say. Once I did it, it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be.
Monika: Have you ever been married? And what role does love play in your life?
Sofie: Love and a stable relationship are important for me to feel secure, but marriage isn't so important. It may be because I'm not religious in any way. I think that's important for those who believe in something.
Monika: What do you enjoy most about living as a woman?
Sofie: Personally, I don't think there's much of a difference between living as a "guy" and living as a "girl". I do the same things now as before. The major differences are really just how hormones affect emotions, and that feels just great!
Monika: What about politics, are you involved at all, and do you think transgender women could actually make a difference there?
Sofie: At the moment, no. But I like to talk about politics and perhaps make a difference that way. Most transgender LGBT activists do a lot for human rights in general, but seem interested in other political issues as well.
Monika: Here's a bold one for you: could you imagine a transgender woman becoming Sweden's Prime Minister in our lifetime?
Sofie: Well, we've yet to see a female prime minister, so it will probably take some time before we see a transgender one. I like to think that a prime minister is chosen because of her experience and knowledge, and if a trans person turns out to have these, there should be no problem for her to become prime minister.
Monika: And transgender beauty pageants, what's your take on those?
Sofie: I personally would never participate in such a contest, but I can understand that there's a need among people to show off their beauty and have it verified, not least among transgender people. Unfortunately, it seems that once again there's a distinction between transsexuals and "ordinary" people, which I believe will have a negative impact on how people look at transgender people.
Sofie: Well, taking the first step, just doing it. It's hard to say. Once I did it, it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be.
Monika: Have you ever been married? And what role does love play in your life?
Sofie: Love and a stable relationship are important for me to feel secure, but marriage isn't so important. It may be because I'm not religious in any way. I think that's important for those who believe in something.
Monika: What do you enjoy most about living as a woman?
Sofie: Personally, I don't think there's much of a difference between living as a "guy" and living as a "girl". I do the same things now as before. The major differences are really just how hormones affect emotions, and that feels just great!
Monika: What about politics, are you involved at all, and do you think transgender women could actually make a difference there?
Sofie: At the moment, no. But I like to talk about politics and perhaps make a difference that way. Most transgender LGBT activists do a lot for human rights in general, but seem interested in other political issues as well.
Monika: Here's a bold one for you: could you imagine a transgender woman becoming Sweden's Prime Minister in our lifetime?
Sofie: Well, we've yet to see a female prime minister, so it will probably take some time before we see a transgender one. I like to think that a prime minister is chosen because of her experience and knowledge, and if a trans person turns out to have these, there should be no problem for her to become prime minister.
Monika: And transgender beauty pageants, what's your take on those?
Sofie: I personally would never participate in such a contest, but I can understand that there's a need among people to show off their beauty and have it verified, not least among transgender people. Unfortunately, it seems that once again there's a distinction between transsexuals and "ordinary" people, which I believe will have a negative impact on how people look at transgender people.
Monika: Are you into fashion? Paint me a picture of your usual outfit, any go-to designers, colors, or trends?
Sofie: Hell Bunny is my favorite brand when it comes to dresses! I like to shop in alternative clothing stores. Take a look at my pictures and you'll get it!
Monika: How connected are you to your local LGBT community?
Sofie: Involved to the extent that I've been to some parties they've organized, but not in their actual LGBT work.
Monika: A lot of transgender women eventually write memoirs. Ever pictured yourself doing that?
Sofie: A book is probably too large a project, and who the hell would buy it? I have the blog that fills that need for me right now. I'm probably not old enough to have collected enough wacky stories to tell to those who will live after me, maybe when I'm old and gray.
Monika: So, all things considered, would you call yourself a happy woman these days?
Sofie: I would like to think so anyway!
Monika: Sofie, thank you for the interview!
All the photos: courtesy of Sofie Ward.
© 2013 - Monika Kowalska
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