Interview with Julia Scotti

Monika: Julia Scotti is an American comedian, former teacher, speaker, and transgender woman. She is known for her appearance in Season 11 of America’s Got Talent on NBC in 2016, and a comedy special on SHOWTIME called "More Women of a Certain Age". Hello Julia!

Julia: Hello Monika! Thanks for having me!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Julia: (laughing) I try to say as few words about myself as possible, but here it goes! I was born and raised in New Jersey. My parents divorced when I was six years old and so my older sister and I had to pretty much fend for ourselves. I recently went back to the apartment building we grew up in and judging from the looks of it, we must have been poor too. So...poverty, alcoholic father, single mother with schizophrenia, Catholic guilt and being a latchkey kid; comedy was a natural for me!

Monika: Do you often tell transgender jokes?

Julia: All of my comedy is based in truth. Being transgendered is part of my life, so yes, I do. Even though it is a big part of my life, it is a small part of what I do on stage, and only when I feel like going in that direction. In order to reach mainstream audiences, I need to focus on those things to which they can relate.

Plus, I prefer to think of myself as a comedian who happens to be transgendered as opposed to being known as a transgendered comedian. There's a big difference.

Interview with Jenn Burleton

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Jenn Burleton, a transgender activist, musician, feminist, the founder and Executive Director of TransActive Gender Center, an internationally recognized non-profit organization focused on serving the diverse needs of transgender and gender nonconforming children, youth, their families and allies. Hello Jenn!

Jenn: Hello Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Jenn: Sure! I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA), and currently live in Portland, Oregon, the USA with my life partner of 31 years. I spent most of my adult life working as a professional musician, but have devoted the past 7 years and the rest of my life to advocacy work on behalf of transgender and gender nonconforming children, youth, and their families.

Monika: What is the current agenda of TransActive?

Jenn: Well, TransActive Gender Center doesn’t really have an agenda, though as a non-profit organization we certainly do have a mission; “TransActive Gender Center provides a holistic range of services and expertise to empower transgender and gender nonconforming children, youth, and their families in living healthy lives, free of discrimination.”

Interview with Marissa Martinez

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Marissa Martinez, a talented woman and guitarist/vocalist for a California metal band called Cretin. Hello Marissa! 

Marissa: Hi!

Monika: First of all, I would like to congratulate you on your marriage! How did it feel to be the beautiful bride?

Marissa: Thank you! It was really nerve-racking until the ceremony actually started. Typically, I dress really casually, and I don’t have a big interest in clothing and fashion. So, the whole process of dress shopping, shoe shopping, deciding on hair and makeup. I found it all overwhelming. It’s just not my thing. I was really excited to be married to my husband. Just not so much for the wedding itself. Hahaha!

Monika: Any plans for the honeymoon?

Marissa: We just got back from our honeymoon. We went to Yosemite, which is where we got engaged.

Interview with Farah Zeiner

Farah Zeiner is a passionate transgender activist, journalist, and the creative mind behind the YouTube vlog "Menschen dieser Erde." Through her work, Farah has given a voice to the transgender community, sharing powerful stories and advocating for human rights. With a background in social work and a strong commitment to equality, she has become an influential figure in the German transgender movement. Farah’s journey began in South Germany at Lake Constance, where she not only embraced her identity but also worked tirelessly to promote the rights and visibility of transgender people. Her vlog, which started as a small project with her friend Michaela Werner, has grown into a platform that showcases inspiring transgender role models. By sharing these stories, Farah has helped foster understanding and support for the transgender community, not just in Germany but globally.

Interview with Katie Sprinkle

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Katie Sprinkle, an American lawyer, former public defender, the founder of the Law Office of Katie Sprinkle. Hello Katie! 

Katie: Thank you for having me.

Monika: You can boast over 20 years of legal experience. Could you say a few words about your professional career?

Katie: I began my career in the private sector working for a couple of different law firms. I did that for about three years before starting to work for the Dallas County Public Defender’s Office. I was an assistant public defender in Dallas County for 14 years. I left Dallas County in 2011 to go to Burnet County to help set up and start a brand new Public Defender Office. I left Burnet County in the summer of 2013 to start my own practice. I had originally planned to start my own practice a couple of years ago but delayed doing so in order to complete my transition.

Monika: A year ago you opened your own firm Law Office of Katie Sprinkle. What services do your office provide?

Katie: I handle criminal defense cases, name and gender marker changes, wills and probate, and some family law.

Interview with Renee Reyes

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Renee Reyes, a successful American transsexual entrepreneur. She invented a product for cleaning “dry clean only” clothes at home in a household clothing dryer and holds eleven patents in this regard. She recently sold the enterprise that manufactured and distributed her product and now lives in Atlanta, GA. Hello Renee!

Renee: Hiya Monika! It’s a pleasure to catch up. Want to congratulate your progress and success by sharing the lives of accomplished trans-women from around the world. Know its lots of hard work and offers little reward. You’re making a difference: good for you!

Monika: You look fantastic, Renee. What is the secret of your beauty?

Renee: I’m now 52 – thus looking “fantastic” is not something that happens every day. Had my share of surgeries: FFS, breast & buttocks augmentation, and a bit of maintenance along the way. Some transgender women were naturals – ideally suited for a change of gender. I wasn’t. I suppose not being naturally pretty was an asset in some respects – I never quit trying to improve.

Interview with Madi Madsen

Madi Madeleine Kruse Madsen is a pioneering Danish transgender activist and the proud owner of not one, but two successful beauty parlors. Madi, 55, transitioned from living as a man for the first 50 years of her life to becoming the woman she always knew she was. Over the past five years, she has embraced her authentic self while also building a thriving business in the beauty industry. In addition to her work in the beauty field, Madi is a prominent voice for the transgender community in Denmark, having appeared on television and actively participated in advocacy through FATID, a political organization for transgender people. She's been instrumental in pushing for significant legal reforms in Denmark, including the right to legally change gender without undergoing surgery and improving healthcare provisions for transgender individuals. 

 

Madi’s entrepreneurial spirit has transformed her beauty parlors, where she offers a range of treatments, including her signature diamond dermabrasion and gold treatment, a favorite among her clients. Despite the hardships she’s faced, including losing her IT career, marriage, and a successful dog breeding business during her transition, Madi remains focused on her passion for beauty and activism, with plans for future projects, including a counseling center for transgender individuals. In this interview, Madi shares her insights on her journey, the challenges transgender women face, her vision for a more inclusive society, and how she balances her professional ambitions with personal aspirations. Let's dive into her story. 

Interview with Kristin Beck

 

Kristin Beck, born on June 21, 1966, in St. Louis, Missouri, spent the first chapter of her life living a story that would become legendary in the annals of U.S. military history. Growing up with a deep sense of duty, Beck enlisted in the U.S. Navy, eventually rising to become one of the most decorated and respected Navy SEALs of her generation. For two decades, she served in the elite SEAL teams, participating in over 13 deployments, and carving out a reputation for courage, precision, and an unwavering commitment to the mission. Her military career was marked by feats of extraordinary bravery and skill, but Beck’s personal journey, which she had long kept hidden, was one of even greater complexity. Throughout her time in the Navy, Beck struggled with her identity, silently carrying the weight of being transgender while serving in an environment that demanded toughness and conformity. The world she knew was one of secrecy, stoic strength, and the rigid ideals of masculinity that came with being a Navy SEAL. But beneath the surface, there was an identity that had long been suppressed, one that yearned to emerge.

Interview with Jeri Hughes

Jeri Hughes is a transgender activist from the USA. Since her arrest for the “crime” of being transgender in 1983, she has been an outspoken advocate for all human rights. Although her fight has primarily focused on the struggles faced by the transgender community, she has also extended her efforts to embrace the entire LGBT community. Jeri was among the first to promote direct action within the DC community to expand existing domestic partnership laws into full-fledged marriage equality. She actively participated in the fight to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) and initiated and filed the complaint against the DC Department of Corrections with the Office of Human Rights while simultaneously engaging the broader LGBT community, leading to a shift in DOC policy regarding the rights and dignity of transgender prisoners.

 

Jeri also played a key role in reforming policies within the Metropolitan Police Department, resulting in a new General Order that respects gender identity and expression. Working independently in 2009, she spearheaded efforts to reform discriminatory employment practices targeting the transgender community within the District. Once again, her work mobilized the broader community, fostering open discussions and leading to programs like Project Empowerment. She continues these efforts and is currently collaborating with the Gray Administration to implement new and effective measures to combat systemic discrimination.

Interview with Aderet

Aderet, born Hadar Babayof, is an Israeli singer-songwriter, DJ, and producer renowned for her dynamic contributions to pop, trance, and dance music. From an early age, she exhibited a passion for music, often performing at family events and composing songs by the time she was just eight years old. After completing her military service in the Israel Defense Forces, she made the bold decision to relocate from her hometown of Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, where she pursued formal training in voice and dance. During this period, she supported herself by performing as a dancer in various clubs, all the while cultivating her artistic vision and musical career. In 2001, Aderet made her debut with the single "Le'at Uvatuah" ("Slowly and Surely"), which garnered significant radio attention and marked the beginning of her professional journey in the music industry. 

Interview with JoAnne Wheeler Bland

Monika: Today's interview will be with JoAnne Wheeler Bland, a woman and a transgender activist, a practicing attorney for 44 years, former Special Justice on the Kentucky Supreme Court, former Vice-President of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance, current Board Member on the Fairness Campaign Coordinating Committee (in Louisville, Kentucky), a current member of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education's Committee on Equal Opportunity (the Diversity Committee).

In addition, JoAnne was a keynote speaker for the 27th Annual Kentucky Governor's Equal Employment Opportunity Conference whose topic was "The Transgender Worker", frequent guest speaker at Women's and Gender Studies at Kentucky Universities, and she participated as a guest speaker at numerous Kentucky Universities (on the issue of Transgender) and at PFLAG Meetings across Kentucky.

She studied theology for 13 years, and was a former United Methodist Certified Lay Speaker, evangelist and teacher, church choir member, architect, and interior layout designer, interior decorator, consultant to Kentucky School Districts on Transgender students and to Kentucky Courts on issues of Transgender, advising parents, adults, and children regarding transgender issues. Hello JoAnne!

 JoAnne: Thank you for interviewing me.

Interview with Claudia McKay

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Claudia McKay, a transgender activist from New Zealand, President of Agender New Zealand, a leading advocacy organization for the trans community in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Hello Claudia!

Claudia: Hello Monika and thank you for this opportunity.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Claudia: I am 57 years of age, born and raised in Wellington, New Zealand. When I left high school I spent the next 35 years as an artist, I painted and exhibited all that time and married Janet in 1995. We were together for 12-13 years and although now separated we are still very close.

It was Janet that came home one day with the idea that would eventually become Agender NZ. I began my transition at age 40 and have not had surgery. I have nothing against it, just never had enough money at one time and am always spending what I do have on clothes and shoes. My current work for Agender is unpaid so I work part-time as a rental property inspector and also do some cleaning and gardening.

Interview with Dee HunnyBuns

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Dee HunnyBuns, a young American video blogger that documents her transition on YouTube. Hello Dee!

Dee: Hi Monika, well let me just start off by saying thank you and I feel extremely honored to be a part of this website, I see so many admirable women and their stories and it just makes me feel great to see fellow trans-sisters who are strong, beautiful and inspirational.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Dee: I am 24 years old, Mexican, born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m a licensed massage therapist and just finished school to get my license as a cosmetic laser technician. I’m a fan of all things beauty and really love the feeling of making other people feel beautiful. As a woman, I know how important feeling good in your own skin can be and want to help other women feel great in theirs as well.

Interview with Rebecca Kling

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Rebecca Kling, a transgender artist, and educator who explores gender and identity through solo pieces and educational workshops, praised by The Chicago Tribune, TimeOut Chicago, NUVO Indianapolis, the Coyote Chronicle, instructor at the Piven Theatre Workshop, author of The Thang Blog. Hello Rebecca!

Rebecca: Thanks so much for chatting with me, Monika.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Rebecca: As you mentioned, I'm a transgender artist and educator. I tour colleges, universities, and theater festivals around the United States to conduct educational workshops and perform solo pieces focusing on gender and identity.

Monika: Is there anything like transgender art? What does it mean to be a transgender artist?

Rebecca: For me, being a transgender artist means that my work is being fed by my identity as a trans woman. I use my experiences as a trans woman to fuel my art, and my art to fuel my identity. I do think that trans art - like any type of identity-focused art - runs a risk of being boxed in; that someone can only be a woman artist or an artist of color or a trans artist. I hope that the work I do can speak to a wide audience, and not simply people looking for "trans" art.

Interview with Monika Donner

Monika Donner, born on July 11, 1971, in Linz, Austria, has led a life marked by transformation, courage, and an unyielding pursuit of personal and professional excellence. Her journey weaves through the ranks of the Austrian military, the intricacies of legal expertise, the literary world, and the profound realms of self-discovery and advocacy. From an early age, Monika displayed both intellectual brilliance and a deep-seated resilience. She graduated from the esteemed Kollegium Aloisianum in 1989, after which she committed herself to a year of voluntary service in the Austrian Armed Forces. This initial foray into military life set the foundation for what would become a remarkable career, one that spanned the rigid hierarchies of the Bundesheer while also making space for her personal evolution. She continued her service in the militia, embodying both discipline and determination.

Interview with Lindsay C. Walker

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Lindsay C. Walker, an inspirational Australian artist, comics illustrator, and digital artist, the illustration author of such popular franchises as: “The Phantom”, "Street Fighter", "Darkstalkers", "Voltron", "Kolchak the Night Stalker", "Shi", "King Kong", "The Pro", "Hack/Slash", and "Zombies Vs Cheerleaders". Hello Lindsay!

Lindsay: Hello Monika!

Monika: When did you decide to be a professional illustrator?

Lindsay: For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to be an artist. When I was small I always thought I’d be an animator. But I don’t have the patience for that.