Paulina Ashley Angel, a trailblazing transgender woman, activist, musician, songwriter, producer, and blogger whose life and work embody courage, creativity, and unwavering authenticity. Born and raised in Indio, California, Paulina is a 32-year-old artist whose journey has been as inspiring as it has been transformative. From a young age, she discovered a passion for music, writing her first song, The Rain, from a place of deep personal struggle, turning pain into art, a testament to her resilience and ability to transform life’s challenges into beauty. Over the years, she has written over 200 songs, drawing inspiration from her dreams, personal experiences, and the world around her, including the vibrant cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Her albums, from Angel to Saturday Morning Around the Pool, are intimate love letters to life, place, and identity, each one carrying a piece of her heart. Beyond music, Paulina is a passionate advocate for transgender and LGBTQIA rights. She founded the influential Facebook pages Trans Role Models and Trans Fund Raising, and has worked tirelessly to create safer, more inclusive spaces in higher education through her student activism. She became the first transgender individual elected to office in her student senate, advocating for policy changes that have since been adopted by multiple colleges, demonstrating her vision for meaningful, systemic change.
Her activism, like her music, is deeply personal and rooted in lived experience, informed by mentors such as Danielle Askini and Sylvia Guerrero, and inspired by the ongoing fight for equality. Paulina’s journey of self-discovery and transition has been both challenging and triumphant. From self-medicating in her mid-twenties to resuming hormone therapy under medical supervision, she has navigated the emotional and physical complexities of transition with bravery and grace, emerging as the woman she was always meant to be. Her story resonates with hope for others facing gender dysphoria, reminding them to surround themselves with positive influences, do their research, and above all, love themselves. Through her music, activism, and personal example, Paulina Ashley Angel stands as a beacon of inspiration. She is not only a talented artist and leader but also a dreamer whose vision for the future includes love, equality, and the freedom for every person to live authentically. Whether performing her soulful songs, mentoring fellow transgender individuals, or fighting for equality in politics and education, Paulina reminds us that courage, creativity, and authenticity can truly change the world.
Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Paulina Ashley Angel, a transgender activist from USA, songwriter, musician, singer, producer, and blogger. Hello Paulina!
Paulina: Hola Monika, hella great to meet you!!
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| Cover of her debut album. |
Monika: Paulina, it’s wonderful to have you here. Could you start by telling us a bit about yourself and your journey so far?
Paulina: WOW, where should I start? I’m a 32-year-old transgender woman from the town of Indio, California. I’m a songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist, student leader, LGBTQIA rights advocate, and a dreamer. I’m also the creator of the Facebook page Trans Role Models and its sister page, Trans Fund Raising. On the professional side, I run my own music company, P.A. Music, Inc.
Monika: You’ve written over 200 songs, an impressive feat! I’m curious, where do you usually find your inspiration? Is it life experiences, dreams, or maybe a lyric that just pops into your head?
Paulina: I’ve always had a knack for writing lyrics. Some songs come from just thinking up a song title or when a lyric pops into my head. Others are inspired by real-life experiences, or even dreams of experiences I might have in the future. My first song, The Rain (which can be heard on my first album), actually grew out of a suicide letter I wrote in the summer of 1997. Thankfully, I’m still here, and I turned parts of that letter into a song.
Sometimes, places themselves inspire me. Both Los Angeles and San Francisco inspired California Baby, and my album Saturday Morning Around the Pool is essentially a love letter to Palm Springs. I also draw inspiration from artists like The Beatles, the Beach Boys, Kylie Minogue, 10,000 Maniacs, and several others. In 2004, I began receiving guidance from professional songwriters and producers such as Billy Steinberg (Demi Lovato, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna), Danielle Brisebois (New Radicals, Natasha Bedingfield, Begin Again soundtrack), and Douglas Carr (Ace of Base, Meja).
Monika: Being a transgender artist comes with its own experiences. How does your identity shape your music? Do your lyrics reflect your journey in any way?
Paulina: For me, being a transgender artist means being open about my gender identity. I’d like to think that some of my songs carry the influence of growing up trans. I’ve always written from a woman’s perspective, even before fully realizing my gender identity. In my earlier songs, I sometimes had to adjust lyrics because they naturally came across as songs a woman would sing rather than a man. Once I came out, I stopped modifying them.
The hardest part of coming out was wondering whether people would take my music seriously. In the past, a trans music performer was often expected to produce albums like Britney Spears, RuPaul, or Lady Gaga. I’ve always seen myself more in the vein of Paul McCartney, Rachael Yamagata, Kylie Minogue, or Darren Hayes from Savage Garden. Today, people are often surprised when they hear that I play all the instruments in my songs.
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| Performing 'In The Autumn Skies' at her college campus, Palm Desert, Ca. |
Monika: How do you feel about the current situation for transgender women in American society? Do you see progress, or is there still a lot of work to do?
Paulina: I like to think that we are slowly but surely gaining acceptance in society. It’s a long journey, and there are still many battles we need to fight to ensure we are protected. But I believe that over time, we’ll achieve greater equality and fewer trans people will face violence or discrimination because of who they are.
Monika: At what age did you begin your transition, and would you say the process was difficult for you?
Paulina: I started self-medicating around the age of 24 or 25, buying hormones from a black market source because there were no local resources for trans health where I lived. Physically, it wasn’t particularly difficult, though emotionally it was a roller-coaster, and adjusting to breast development was a challenge. Overall, though, it felt manageable. I stopped self-medicating at 28 due to health and financial issues, and resumed hormone therapy under medical supervision at 31. Since then, I’ve been happier than ever. I’ve been on HRT for about five months now, and it feels wonderful to fully embrace the woman I was always meant to be.
Monika: During your transition, did you have any transgender role models who inspired or guided you?
Paulina: One of my best online friends, Danielle Askini of the Gender Justice League in Seattle, was a huge inspiration. We met on MySpace around mid-2004, and since we were close in age, I could relate to her easily. She has been a great resource for me and inspired me to become a role model and activist myself. When I co-created Trans Role Models, Danielle was the first person I thought of. Over the years, I’ve developed online friendships with other trans women that became in-person meetings, including Clair Farley of TEEI, Erin 'Grishno' Armstrong, and a few others. Another important role model for me was Sylvia Guerrero, the mother of Gwen Araujo, whom I consider a spiritual mother.
Monika: Coming out can be one of the most challenging experiences. What was the hardest part for you personally?
Paulina: The hardest part was mainly family. I broke their hearts when I came out, especially my dad, because I was his oldest child and he had hoped for a close father-son relationship. Both of us are musicians, and he wanted a son to carry his name, even inspired by Paul McCartney. There’s a long story behind that, which I won’t go into here, but you can read more on my blog. Some friends took time to adjust, but they all support me now. One of the most rewarding moments was at my high school reunion when one of the former jocks came up to me and said, 'Paulina, I’m very proud of the person you’ve become. You are one of the bravest people I know.'
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| Loving the new mix of her latest single, California Baby. |
Monika: How do you feel about the way transgender stories or characters have been portrayed in films, newspapers, and books so far? Are there examples you admire, or moments that frustrated you?
Paulina: That’s such a good question. Honestly, I’ve always been frustrated by shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and NCIS, I can’t tell you how upset I was every time Detective Olivia Benson used the slur ‘Tr***ys’ on the show. It was disheartening to see transgender people misrepresented so casually. On the other hand, I loved JD Pardo’s performance as Gwen Araujo in A Girl Like Me. I would love to see more transgender characters portrayed in a positive light on TV and in movies, ideally played by trans performers themselves.
Monika: For its 8th issue, Winter 2014-2015, C☆NDY Magazine brought together fourteen prominent women who have become the faces of the transgender movement. What was your reaction when you saw that?
Paulina: I really need to get that magazine! It’s so exciting to see transgender women being recognized in the mainstream, and especially being called role models. Whether we are activists or not, we all inspire others simply by being visible and authentic.
Monika: In the US transgender community today, are there figures whose work you feel is comparable to what Harvey Milk accomplished in the 1960s and 70s for gay activism?
Paulina: It’s hard to draw direct comparisons, because everyone focuses on different aspects of our rights, whether in media, military, medical care, governance, or education. Some notable leaders I think of are Janet Mock, Kristin Beck, Masen Davis, and others. Personally, I consider myself an unsung leader when it comes to transgender issues in higher education. I wrote a student resolution advocating for gender identity equality in community colleges, and a year after it passed, 22 colleges had implemented it on their campuses.
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| Attending a Student Assembly as a Presenter, San Diego, Ca. |
Monika: Are you active in politics? Do you participate in any lobbying campaigns? Do you think transgender women can make a difference in politics?
Paulina: I’ve been very active in Politics, something I originally had no intentions of doing but was thrust upon me. I am the first transsexual elected to office for the student organization, Student Senate for California Community Colleges, where I advocated for LGBTQIA students' rights, some might call me the Harvey Milk for students' rights.
The only kind of campaigning I did was for Proposition 8 in California, and I did put together a Facebook group for College Students that support AB 1266: School Success And Opportunity Act. I really think Trans Women and Men can make a difference in politics, I hope to someday run for Senate in California, probably start by running for office in San Francisco.
Monika: Do you like fashion? What kind of outfits do you usually wear? Any special fashion designs, colors, or trends?
Paulina: Haha, who doesn’t like fashion? I love wearing Jeans, can’t live without wearing them. I love wearing tank-tops with a blazer over them. I have an addiction to Music Shirts, I can be spotted wearing either a Beatles, Sarah Mclachlan, Roxy Music, or other band shirts. You can say that I have a hipster-chic kind of look, very San Franciscan. But I like to think that over time my fashion sense would change, I’m a very eclectic kind of person once you get to know me.
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| Being sworn in as Senator at SSCCC Meeting, Sacramento, Ca. |
Monika: What do you think about transgender beauty pageants? Some activists criticize the concept of transgender beauty pageants, pointing out that they lead to the obsession with youth and beauty…
Paulina: It all depends on the message the pageants give out, I have 50/50 views on them.
Monika: Could you tell me about the importance of love in your life?
Paulina: To me, it's critical, I’ve never been in love, been single all of my life, never dated and never been kissed, but I still dream for the day that I’ll find someone that would love me for me and would grow old with.
Monika: Many transgender ladies write their memoirs. Have you ever thought about writing such a book yourself?
Paulina: Funny you mentioned that, during 2013, I started writing one, it’s called ‘Imperfect Girl - Project Paulina Angel’, which covers my life from April 1997 to Present Day. Still not finished, waiting for the right ending, hopefully of me finally returning to San Francisco.
Monika: Are you working on any new projects now?
Paulina: I’m trying to get my own organization started, Rainbow Alliance for California Colleges. This has been a brainchild of mines since 2008. I’m entering Pre-Production on my third album, Return To Me, planning on doing a Kickstarter campaign for that. In other words, I’m just focusing on moving back to San Francisco Bay to resume my studies.
Monika: What would you recommend to all transgender girls struggling with gender dysphoria?
Paulina: Surround yourself is positive people, make sure if transitioning is something you want to do, do your research, but more importantly, love yourself!!
Monika: Paulina, thank you for the interview!
Paulina: Thanks so much for the great interview, enjoy your interview series, and I have been honored to be a part of such other great women.
Paulina's links:
Trans Role Models
Official PA Music/Paulina Angel Page
Paulina Angel's Artist Page
Paulina Angel's Twitter Page
All the photos: courtesy of Paulina Ashley Angel.
© 2014 - Monika Kowalska
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