Interview with Sheala Dawn Reinertson

Sheala Dawn Reinertson is a woman of strength, resilience, and compassion whose journey reflects both personal courage and a deep commitment to helping others. At 33, she is an advanced patient care technician, a devoted wife, and a proud mother, balancing her family life with her studies in nursing school as she builds a career in healthcare. Before embracing her true self, Sheala spent eight years serving in the US Navy, an experience she looks back on with pride and gratitude. Her service shaped her discipline, her sense of responsibility, and her drive to contribute meaningfully to the lives of others. Sheala’s path as a transgender woman began at the age of 31, when she finally understood and embraced the feelings she had carried with her since childhood. Transitioning came with emotional challenges, yet she found it far easier than continuing to live in silence.

 

Her journey is also tied to advocacy, as she benefited from The Name Change Project in Pittsburgh, which connects transgender people with volunteer attorneys. For Sheala, this program was not just helpful but essential, making her legal transition possible and more affordable. She now speaks openly about how important legal support is for transgender people, from name changes to the defense of basic civil rights. Sheala’s story is one of authenticity, perseverance, and love. She is grateful for the support of her wife Megan, whom she calls her rock, and who has stood beside her through every difficult moment. Sheala’s voice is also one of encouragement to other transgender women struggling with dysphoria, as she reminds them that it does get better and that small steps forward can make all the difference. In sharing her experiences, she hopes to bring light, awareness, and understanding to others, while also showing that acceptance and love can be the strongest sources of strength.

Interview with Tela La'Raine Love

Tela La’Raine Love is a remarkable voice in the transgender community, a woman whose journey reflects resilience, transformation, and a refusal to be silenced. Born and raised in New Orleans, she began her transition as a teenager in the early 1990s, a time when visible transgender role models were almost nonexistent. Her path was filled with obstacles, including addiction, sex work, living with HIV, and surviving without family or institutional support. Yet she transformed those struggles into a purpose-driven life, determined to ensure that no other young trans girl would be forced to endure the same hardships in silence. Today Tela is an activist, minister, peer counselor, mentor, artist, student, HIV prevention specialist, facilitator, video blogger, and co-founder of New Legacy Ministries. She views herself not only as a woman with trans experience but as someone committed to making her story a source of guidance and hope.

 

Her advocacy is deeply rooted in the belief that visibility saves lives and that sharing one’s truth can shift the narrative for generations to come. From the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, which she credits with saving her life by placing her in new circles of affirmation and mentorship, to her ongoing work in community building and ministry, Tela embodies the strength of living authentically. Her story, which she often describes as colorful enough to resemble a mix of animated films and spiritual dramas, is both deeply personal and universally inspiring. With her upcoming documentary “Disappear or Die: A Southern Black Trans Experience” and her continuous work on national advisory boards, Tela La’Raine Love continues to prove that her voice is not only powerful but necessary.

Interview with Jackie Enx

Jackie Enx is a living embodiment of rhythm, rebellion, and reinvention. With sticks in her hands and fire in her heart, she has spent decades behind the drum kit powering some of rock’s loudest, grittiest, and most unfiltered anthems. As a founding member of Warrior and Rhino Bucket, Jackie helped define a sound that was unapologetically raw, unvarnished, and full of attitude. From the smoky clubs of Los Angeles to the world’s biggest stages, she has played with the kind of passion that makes drumming not just a skill, but an act of storytelling. Yet music is only one verse in her extraordinary song. Jackie’s fearless voice carried her into the world of broadcasting, where she became the co-host of The Queer Edge with Jack E. Jett, a groundbreaking radio show that was as irreverent as it was insightful. With her trademark humor and razor-sharp perspective, she dissected pop culture, poked fun at hypocrisy, and gave a microphone to voices often unheard.

 

She continues to inspire through her teaching, guiding young and old musicians alike with patience, humor, and the wisdom of someone who has lived every beat of her art. But perhaps what makes Jackie’s story truly extraordinary is the courage with which she has lived it. Her transition in the 1990s was not a carefully choreographed reinvention, but a leap into authenticity at a time when the world offered little understanding. She navigated the music industry, the media, and her personal life with the same fierce independence that once drove her drumming. Today, she stands as a testament to living honestly and loudly, to embracing identity not as a label but as a melody that never stops evolving. Jackie Enx is more than a musician, performer, or radio personality, she is proof that art, when lived fully, can become an act of defiance and grace at the same time. Whether on stage, on air, or behind the drum kit, Jackie continues to remind the world that life, like rock and roll, is best played loud, proud, and entirely on your own terms.

Interview with Mey Rude

Mey Rude is a voice that has shaped how we see transgender visibility in media. As the Trans Editor at Autostraddle, she has been at the forefront of documenting, analyzing, and celebrating the rise of trans representation in film, television, music, and literature. A proud transgender Latina, lesbian, and self-described comic book nerd, Mey lives in Idaho, where she continues to write passionately about the intersections of identity, culture, and activism. Her work reflects both her sharp insight into the entertainment industry and her deep empathy for the struggles and triumphs of trans women everywhere. Beyond her editorial work, Mey’s own story, marked by resilience, community-building, and a commitment to authenticity, mirrors the broader fight for trans visibility and acceptance. In this conversation, she opens up about her journey, her inspirations, and her hopes for the future of transgender representation. Mey’s career has coincided with a pivotal moment in transgender visibility, a time when shows like Orange Is the New Black, Transparent, and Pose have brought trans stories into mainstream conversation.

 

Through her editorials and commentary, she has challenged the entertainment industry to go beyond surface-level inclusion and to give trans people the power to tell their own stories. Her voice has become a guiding one for readers seeking not only representation but also a critical lens on how that representation is shaped. Whether discussing the lack of trans actors in leading roles or celebrating trans artists breaking new ground, Mey balances critique with optimism, always emphasizing progress without losing sight of the work still to be done. Outside her professional life, Mey’s story is one of courage and conviction. Coming out and transitioning in her mid-twenties, she faced isolation in her hometown and a scarcity of trans resources, yet she found strength in online communities and the growing visibility of role models like Laverne Cox and Janet Mock. Her experiences have shaped her belief in the power of connection and self-expression, values that shine through in her writing. As both a journalist and an activist, Mey Rude continues to inspire others to live openly, create fearlessly, and remind the world that trans women belong not only in the narrative but also at the heart of it.

Interview with Nicola Jane Chase

Nicola Jane Chase is a British writer originally from near Liverpool who now calls New York her home. Nicola has lived a vibrant and varied life, from traveling the world as a globe-trotting DJ and radio personality to documenting her personal journey as a transgender woman in her acclaimed autobiography, Tea and Transition, published in 2015. She describes herself as a supremely content New York woman with a transgender history, someone who has navigated the challenges of transitioning later in life while embracing humor, resilience, and self-discovery along the way. Her experiences highlight the importance of communication, acceptance, and perseverance, whether in relationships with family and friends or in facing societal prejudices. Beyond her writing, Nicola is a thoughtful observer of the transgender experience in media and society, offering insights into visibility, representation, and the nuances of identity.

 

Passionate about travel, style, and storytelling, she continues to share her journey to inspire and support others, demonstrating that life can be full, adventurous, and authentic at any stage. Nicola began her transition in her 40s, guided by her life experience and the support of friends and family who embraced her as a woman. She emphasizes that the process of becoming herself involved both personal growth and public visibility, from working on her voice to navigating the challenges of dating and social perception. Her story is infused with a distinctly British sense of humor, reminding readers that transgender experiences can be joyful and unexpected, as well as difficult. Nicola encourages honesty, self-reflection, and communication, offering reassurance to those struggling with gender dysphoria that they are not alone and that every journey is unique. As she promotes her book and explores potential projects in television and film, Nicola remains committed to using her voice to foster understanding, acceptance, and inspiration for others in the transgender community and beyond.

Interview with Bianca Leigh

Bianca Leigh’s journey to becoming a celebrated actress and advocate for transgender rights is a story of persistence, passion, and breaking boundaries. Born in 1962 in Willingboro, New Jersey, Bianca was captivated by the world of performance from an early age. Growing up, she found inspiration in the glamour of Hollywood’s golden era, idolizing actresses like Lucille Ball, Carole Lombard, Rita Hayworth, and Barbara Stanwyck. These icons sparked her desire to perform, even if the world she saw on screen didn’t yet reflect someone like her. As a child, Bianca’s love for classic films was matched only by her aspirations to be a part of that magical world. But it wasn’t just the glitz and glamour that drew her in; it was the chance to escape and tell stories, stories that didn’t yet include the complexity of her own identity. When Bianca set her sights on acting, it was clear that this was not just a passing interest. She was determined to make it her life.

Interview with Kayla Ward: Update

Monika: Hello Kayla! It has been 18 months since our first interview. What has changed in your life since then?

Kayla: I moved to Dallas, Texas, and began chasing my dreams of modeling and acting.

Monika: You look absolutely stunning! What is the secret of your beauty?

Kayla: Luck with genetics is about the only answer I can honestly give. I’d like to say it is due to eating healthy, consistent workouts, and always getting enough sleep but that doesn’t happen like it should.