Johanna Kamermans (born 1938) is a writer, translator, and former striptease dancer from the Netherlands. With a career spanning nearly 15 years, she worked in prestigious cabarets across Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg under the stage name Gina de Senfal (and briefly Gigi Deloran). Known for her captivating performances, Johanna became a prominent figure in the vibrant nightlife scene of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, where she made a name for herself with her sophisticated yet seductive style. Her performances were defined by her elegant choice of attire, luxurious leather, silk, fur, and towering 14 cm high heels, which became an inseparable part of her persona. Beyond her career on stage, Johanna is also a prolific writer, having authored over 10 books of various genres. Among her most notable works is Schlauchgelüste (2012), an autobiographical novel that explores her unique journey as a performer and the complexities of her life as a transgender woman. Through her writings, Johanna offers a glimpse into the bygone era of cabaret, capturing the spirit of a time when the world of nightlife was filled with both glamour and freedom.
Now, at 76 years old, Johanna reflects with gratitude on her remarkable life. While the vibrant cabaret scene of her youth has faded, she cherishes the experiences that defined her and the women and men who were part of her journey. Johanna’s latest project is a novel recounting her time as a stage dancer and her relationships with various men. She has also created the Transmythos website to preserve the memory of this unforgettable era.
With a philosophy of embracing one's true self, "I am what I am," Johanna remains an inspiring figure, continually shaping her narrative with grace and authenticity. Her legacy is a testament to the resilience and evolution of transgender women in the entertainment world and beyond.
Monika: Hello, Johanna! I’m absolutely thrilled to be speaking with such an iconic cabaret artist and my kindred spirit. It’s an honor to connect with someone whose journey has been so inspiring!
Johanna: Hello, dear Monika! Many thanks for your invitation. I’m very glad that you’re giving me the opportunity to share something about my transgender life, especially from earlier times. I always say: “The future and the past belong together, especially for us transgender people, because we - like everyone else - grow older and older (help!)…”
Monika: You come from a truly cosmopolitan family, with your mother’s roots in Germany, your father’s in the Netherlands, and your paternal ancestors hailing from Flanders...
Johanna: Yes, in 1933, my beautiful mother moved from Gelsenkirchen-Buer (in the Ruhr region) to Vlissingen, a seaside resort on the Dutch North Sea coast. She worked at the famous “Grand Hotel Britannia,” where she met my father. I’ve written four genealogical books about both of them and my extended family around the world.
Monika: You come from a truly cosmopolitan family, with your mother’s roots in Germany, your father’s in the Netherlands, and your paternal ancestors hailing from Flanders...
Johanna: Yes, in 1933, my beautiful mother moved from Gelsenkirchen-Buer (in the Ruhr region) to Vlissingen, a seaside resort on the Dutch North Sea coast. She worked at the famous “Grand Hotel Britannia,” where she met my father. I’ve written four genealogical books about both of them and my extended family around the world.
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| Photo by Werner-Viktor Schwalbe of Trier. |
Monika: When did you begin your career on stage?
Johanna: Well, that’s easier said than done. When I was young, I had been dreaming for a long time about what I wanted to become: “a beautiful woman on stage.” At that time, I never thought it might be impossible to reach such a big dream.
Johanna: Well, that’s easier said than done. When I was young, I had been dreaming for a long time about what I wanted to become: “a beautiful woman on stage.” At that time, I never thought it might be impossible to reach such a big dream.
Of course, I eventually realized that I was a man, not a woman. But I just began the process of working toward that goal, without thinking too much in advance about what might happen. “I did it!” Without any help or knowledge, because I just wanted it... with all the power I had in me.
Now, looking back, I always say: "You can only live forward, and you can only understand backward!"
Monika: How did you begin your performances, particularly at the Pigalle cabaret in Mannheim?
Johanna: I had three agents who contacted international cabarets with my photos and details. In the 60s, 70s, and 80s, there were many nightclubs and cabarets (nothing else, really) until TV and video began fulfilling all desires at home in a completely different way. In my time, “striptease” meant undressing very slowly and seductively, revealing a perfect body, gradually becoming more and more exposed by the end of the show.
Monika: How did you begin your performances, particularly at the Pigalle cabaret in Mannheim?
Johanna: I had three agents who contacted international cabarets with my photos and details. In the 60s, 70s, and 80s, there were many nightclubs and cabarets (nothing else, really) until TV and video began fulfilling all desires at home in a completely different way. In my time, “striptease” meant undressing very slowly and seductively, revealing a perfect body, gradually becoming more and more exposed by the end of the show.
Our contracts were typically for four different shows each evening or night, with each show lasting 10 to 12 minutes (which, at times, felt incredibly long!). And, of course, the shows had to entertain the audience (and the management, too).
For me, it was always physically demanding, especially since I hadn’t undergone gender-affirming surgery (GRS). Yes, I had to “stick” things in place with sellotape (Leukoplast tape), and on stage, I had a wonderful “pussy” with a lot of hair. The audience couldn't tell the difference, but it was quite a process to get everything fixed in place beforehand, and it had to hold for several hours.
Monika: You performed many times in Luxembourg at the Palace Cabaret...Johanna: Yes, I was in beautiful Luxembourg many times because there were a lot of cabarets and wealthy “night visitors” (thanks to the banking industry) there. In Luxembourg, I arranged all my contracts myself because a cabaret director named Marchetti invited me to perform in his various cabarets (especially the Palace Cabaret) after he saw me perform in Germany. I was the only dancer in the entire cabaret program (normally, there were 8-10 dancers), but I was very successful and often re-engaged.
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| Photo by Werner-Viktor Schwalbe of Trier. |
Monika: Did you perform in any other cabarets as well?
Johanna: Of course. I think it must have been more than 80 cabarets over the course of my nearly 15 years on stage. The best cabarets were, of course, the ones where I could come back for re-engagements, and I had a lot of re-engagements.
Johanna: Of course. I think it must have been more than 80 cabarets over the course of my nearly 15 years on stage. The best cabarets were, of course, the ones where I could come back for re-engagements, and I had a lot of re-engagements.
Because I was beautiful, with a perfect body (long hair, long legs, big breasts, a wonderful pussy (!)), and very successful at drinking expensive champagne with the guests. It was standard for us to receive a share of the champagne sales, whether at the bar or in the separate areas.
I had no problem with men because I had a very sexy female voice, no Adam’s apple, and I knew how to "handle" them the way they wanted to be “handled” by an “erotic woman.” In my time, men (and most cabaret visitors were men) were grateful and curious for good "entertainment," whether on stage or in the separate areas, and they were willing to spend a lot of money for it. One of my favorite German cabarets was the Pigalle Cabaret in Mannheim, where many well-paying guests from the big BASF chemical factory in Ludwigshafen, on the other side of the Rhine, would visit.
Monika: What was the cabaret and striptease scene like in the 60s and 70s?
Johanna: As I said already, cabarets and nightclubs in my time, especially for transgender people like me, were like a "real eldorado." We were "new" on stage, offering the most attractive shows, and we could "handle" men very well ("Wir kannten unsere Pappenheimer!" as they say in Germany). Don’t forget: we were also men before "the change," whether operated on or not…!
Monika: For nearly 15 years, you performed on stage as a striptease dancer. Was the audience aware of your transgender identity?
Johanna: No, not in the cabarets. Only my agents and the cabaret management knew about it (I had not undergone gender reassignment surgery). For them, it was unimportant because I was such a good dancer and performer. 'Sex sells,' and I was very successful in my performances, even during the day. I was treated as 'normal' and always respected as a woman, both by the (male) guests and the (female) colleagues. One of the most beautiful experiences of my entire stage career was that I was accepted as 'one of them.' Looking back, I can say, 'I experienced femininity in the wardrobe and masculinity in the separee.' Because, after all, we were all 'no children of sadness' – whether homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual, or transsexual: 'Forget the labels and enjoy your (sexual) life!'
Monika: What was the cabaret and striptease scene like in the 60s and 70s?
Johanna: As I said already, cabarets and nightclubs in my time, especially for transgender people like me, were like a "real eldorado." We were "new" on stage, offering the most attractive shows, and we could "handle" men very well ("Wir kannten unsere Pappenheimer!" as they say in Germany). Don’t forget: we were also men before "the change," whether operated on or not…!
Monika: For nearly 15 years, you performed on stage as a striptease dancer. Was the audience aware of your transgender identity?
Johanna: No, not in the cabarets. Only my agents and the cabaret management knew about it (I had not undergone gender reassignment surgery). For them, it was unimportant because I was such a good dancer and performer. 'Sex sells,' and I was very successful in my performances, even during the day. I was treated as 'normal' and always respected as a woman, both by the (male) guests and the (female) colleagues. One of the most beautiful experiences of my entire stage career was that I was accepted as 'one of them.' Looking back, I can say, 'I experienced femininity in the wardrobe and masculinity in the separee.' Because, after all, we were all 'no children of sadness' – whether homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual, or transsexual: 'Forget the labels and enjoy your (sexual) life!'
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| Photo by Werner-Viktor Schwalbe of Trier. |
Monika: Did you work with any other transgender performers?
Johanna: Yes, sometimes, especially in Luxembourg. But they were in the same position as me. We were women for the guests and colleagues, and nothing else. It was a 'closed community' where we had to be beautiful all the time and earn good money consistently.
Johanna: Yes, sometimes, especially in Luxembourg. But they were in the same position as me. We were women for the guests and colleagues, and nothing else. It was a 'closed community' where we had to be beautiful all the time and earn good money consistently.
Of course, I remember some wonderful transgender dancers, but we all had stage names, so it’s difficult to find them later by their real names. We would talk about our contracts and where we might meet again, and of course, share our experiences with the guests. It was an exciting life, but one that wasn’t focused on 'what came next.'
Monika: Did you have any transgender role models to look up to at that time?
Monika: Did you have any transgender role models to look up to at that time?
Johanna: No, I had no role models, and in the beginning, I even thought I was alone in the world with that extravagant wish: 'To be a beautiful woman on stage.' You can’t compare that time with today, with all the theories and 'advice' available on transsexual internet platforms.
You can’t 'buy' your 'femininity' through body surgeries; you have to work on yourself every day so that people believe you are what you want to be: 'a beautiful woman on stage (and in life).'
It’s not enough to simply declare, 'I am a woman now.' You have to put in a lot of effort to make that true! I can say with great pride, 'I did it!' Just like in the Dutch/Belgian film I Am a Woman Now (Michiel van Erp, 2011), which follows five women who had surgery in the 70s in Dr. Burou's clinic in Casablanca.
Monika: Your autobiographical novel Schlauchgelüste (2012) is filled with many personal memories. What motivated you to write the book after all these years?
Johanna: In 2011, I was attacked by malicious individuals who shared (nude) photos from my first Transmythos website, which had been online for more than 10 years without any issues and received much praise. On that website, I documented my entire life up until that point, with many "from man to woman" photos.
Monika: Your autobiographical novel Schlauchgelüste (2012) is filled with many personal memories. What motivated you to write the book after all these years?
Johanna: In 2011, I was attacked by malicious individuals who shared (nude) photos from my first Transmythos website, which had been online for more than 10 years without any issues and received much praise. On that website, I documented my entire life up until that point, with many "from man to woman" photos.
As a result, I had to take down my beloved website (following advice from the Dutch police), and I swore I would get my "revenge." I had already used the website to show that you can achieve your goals if you work hard enough. So, I decided to continue with my story by writing a book—though without pictures. In 2012, I chose the format of an autobiographical novel and used the pseudonym Jacob Winter.
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| "Schlauchgelüste" (2012). |
Monika: Which aspects of your experience can be useful for other transwomen?
Johanna: Even today, I believe my story carries an important message: you have to believe in yourself, and, of course, understand your own physical and psychological possibilities when it comes to becoming or being a woman. I feel that many transgender people today think they can simply “order” their identity through surgery, without putting in the social effort needed to be accepted in the world as a woman.
Johanna: Even today, I believe my story carries an important message: you have to believe in yourself, and, of course, understand your own physical and psychological possibilities when it comes to becoming or being a woman. I feel that many transgender people today think they can simply “order” their identity through surgery, without putting in the social effort needed to be accepted in the world as a woman.
Don’t believe everything you see or read online, I think there's too much, and often conflicting, information out there. You can also try living as a woman socially, even without surgeries. And always ask yourself: how will I feel 20, 30, 40, or even 50 years from now?
Monika: Unfortunately, the book is no longer available on Amazon …
Johanna: Yes, I realized that my autobiographical novel Schlauchgelüste was too long for an eBook and really deserved to be a printed book. On top of that, I needed to restructure the content, and, most importantly, I came to understand that I no longer needed a pseudonym like “Jacob Winter.” So, I stopped publishing Schlauchgelüste as an eBook. It’s no longer available for download, although you can still find it floating around the Internet.
Monika: Unfortunately, the book is no longer available on Amazon …
Johanna: Yes, I realized that my autobiographical novel Schlauchgelüste was too long for an eBook and really deserved to be a printed book. On top of that, I needed to restructure the content, and, most importantly, I came to understand that I no longer needed a pseudonym like “Jacob Winter.” So, I stopped publishing Schlauchgelüste as an eBook. It’s no longer available for download, although you can still find it floating around the Internet.
Now, I’m planning a fresh start, as Johanna Kamermans, with a new title and a new cover. And here’s the funny part: Amazon USA actually forced my original publisher to censor the cover of Schlauchgelüste, they put bars over my breasts and my “tucked pussy”! Apparently, it was “too naked” for them to publish as-is!
Monika: Could you tell us more about your other books?
Johanna: You can find information about all 11 of my books on my website, including my print book Euregio Carolus Magnus – Grenzen im Fluss (2004, with a second edition in 2013), which explores the culture and people of the “Euregio Maas-Rhine” region, sometimes called “Mini-Europe.” The title Grenzen im Fluss refers to how the borders in this Dutch, Belgian, and German area have shifted many times over the centuries, forcing people to constantly adapt to new circumstances. Much like transgender people, who must also adapt to new realities in order to survive and thrive in society. Transgender “frontiers” are also in flux. And suddenly, we’re back in the little town where I was born: Vlissingen, also known in English as “Flushing.”
Monika: Could you tell us more about your other books?
Johanna: You can find information about all 11 of my books on my website, including my print book Euregio Carolus Magnus – Grenzen im Fluss (2004, with a second edition in 2013), which explores the culture and people of the “Euregio Maas-Rhine” region, sometimes called “Mini-Europe.” The title Grenzen im Fluss refers to how the borders in this Dutch, Belgian, and German area have shifted many times over the centuries, forcing people to constantly adapt to new circumstances. Much like transgender people, who must also adapt to new realities in order to survive and thrive in society. Transgender “frontiers” are also in flux. And suddenly, we’re back in the little town where I was born: Vlissingen, also known in English as “Flushing.”
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| Photo by Werner-Viktor Schwalbe of Trier. |
Monika: In 1993, you were featured in the German documentary Freier Fall: Johanna K. How do you recall shooting the film?
Johanna: This nearly 90-minute documentary was a beautiful and meaningful experience in my life. My director was the famous Klaus Wildenhahn, who directed many documentaries for the German TV network Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) in Hamburg.
Johanna: This nearly 90-minute documentary was a beautiful and meaningful experience in my life. My director was the famous Klaus Wildenhahn, who directed many documentaries for the German TV network Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) in Hamburg.
In 1993, the documentary was even presented at the Berlinale Film Festival in Berlin, and I was invited there to share my story. It’s said that Freier Fall: Johanna Kamermans is a film that never uses the words “transgender” or “transsexual” (according to the director, it was “not important”) and is considered one of Klaus Wildenhahn’s best documentaries. I’m very proud of this film, which is sometimes broadcast on TV again or shown at film festivals.
END OF PART 1
All the photos: courtesy of Johanna Kamermans.
© 2014 - Monika Kowalska
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