Interview with Kalina Isato

Kalina Isato is a Chinese-American producer, musician, and media personality who has been an active force in the transgender community. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, she began her music career in 1988 and quickly evolved her sound from fast-paced rhythms to more relaxed, chill vibes. Embracing her true gender identity publicly in 1995, Kalina transitioned in the early 2000s, undergoing HRT and gender confirmation surgery. She’s not only made a mark in music but also as a mentor and advocate, creating content to help transgender women improve their appearance and mannerisms. In addition to her music career, Kalina is deeply involved in the LGBT community, hosting events and supporting trans rights. In this interview, Kalina shares her journey, experiences, and her passion for empowering others to live their truth. Our conversation will focus on her transition, her impact on the transgender community, and how she blends her artistic talents with advocacy work.

 

Monika: Hello Kalina! Thank you for joining me today!

Kalina: Hi Monika! Thank you for speaking with me.

Interview with Frances McKevitt

Frances McKevitt is a British transgender singer-songwriter, musician and performer from Liverpool whose life has followed an unusually independent path. She discovered Elvis Presley at the age of ten and, at sixteen, was inspired by the hippie counterculture to pursue music herself. On her seventeenth birthday, she joined a commune and subsequently spent around ten years travelling around the world with her guitar, earning her living as a troubadour. Eventually settling in London, Frances continued to build a life around music, performing both as a solo artist and with bands including The Frantastics, whose distinctive style combines country, rock 'n' roll, humour and theatricality in what they describe as "Frockabilly." Alongside performing and songwriting, Frances has also worked as a gardener in London. Her own musical philosophy emphasizes creativity and the joy of making music rather than fame or commercial success. Her journey offers an intriguing perspective on music, independence, counterculture, creativity and life as a transgender woman.

Interview with Babs Siperstein

Babs Casbar Siperstein is a remarkable figure whose life story embodies resilience, love, and the courage to embrace one’s true identity. With a career spanning decades as an influential transgender activist and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, Babs has not only navigated her own journey of gender transition but has also paved the way for others to find their voices and truths. Born in a time when societal acceptance of transgender individuals was virtually nonexistent, Babs faced countless challenges throughout her life. She initially embraced her identity in secret, cultivating her feminine persona alongside her loving wife, Carol, who became her closest confidante and ally. Together, they explored the complexities of Babs's identity, embarking on a journey that would lead to a deeper understanding of self and the importance of love in overcoming adversity.

Interview with Aleshia Brevard: Part 4

Monika: Before you started your movie and theatre career you were a female impersonator. How would you define this kind of vocation? Could it be regarded as a piece of art or just another form of entertainment or show business?

Aleshia: As I must always stress, Monika, the only assessments I can make on ANYTHING are based on personal experience. I cannot speak to the experience of others. Nowhere would this be truer than when answering your question concerning female impersonation. There are many people, both straight and gay, who are devotees of impersonation as an art form. My experience ‘backstage’, behind the façade at Finocchio’s in San Francisco, was limited and merely a respite during my gender journey. I was a neophyte, a “new Nanette”. I became a headliner at the prestigious nightclub in the late ’50s and early ‘60s because of how I looked, not because of any professional expertise and/or show business acumen.

Interview with Dana Beyer

Born in New York City in 1952, Dana Beyer first built an impressive career in medicine and science. A graduate of Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, she became a physician and surgeon and devoted part of her professional life to research into human sexuality and public health. Yet her journey would eventually take her in another direction, one shaped not only by her professional knowledge but also by her own deeply personal experience. Dana began her transition at the age of forty, embarking on a journey that required courage and a willingness to embrace an uncertain future. She had spent decades studying questions of sex and gender, both personally and professionally, but, as is so often the case for transgender people, knowledge alone could not make that first step any easier. 

 

What followed was the beginning of a new chapter in her life, one in which she found the strength to live openly and authentically. She went on to become a passionate advocate for transgender and LGBT civil rights, bringing her experience, intelligence, and determination into the political arena. At a time when transgender people were still struggling to make their voices heard, Dana became part of a generation determined to ensure that the “T” in LGBT would no longer remain silent. In this interview, Dana speaks openly about her transition, her fears and hopes, her remarkable professional journey, and her work for transgender equality. She also reflects on the pioneers who made her own journey possible and on the enormous changes she has witnessed during her lifetime. Above all, this is a conversation with a woman who found the courage to become herself and who has since devoted much of her life to helping create a better and more hopeful world for those who follow.