Crista Lynn is a video blogger who has been sharing her transition journey on YouTube, offering an unfiltered and honest look into her life as a transgender woman. She began her transition at the age of 22 and completed it within a year, including gender-affirming surgeries and cosmetic procedures, while navigating both personal discovery and societal expectations. Crista is known for her adventurous spirit, whether exploring waterfalls, deserts, or engaging in creative projects at home, and for her bold, sometimes shocking sense of humor, which she uses to connect with her audience and challenge conventional ideas about gender and identity. Beyond documenting her own experiences, she seeks to inspire others in the transgender community and beyond, showing that living authentically is both possible and empowering, and emphasizing that personal growth often comes through self-acceptance and courage. Crista is also an author, currently sharing her memoir, When Fantasies Are Fulfilled, through her videos while it undergoes the publication process, giving her audience a direct, performative insight into her life story. She often reflects on the pivotal moments of her transition with honesty and humor, showing both the triumphs and the struggles she faced along the way.
Throughout her journey, she has confronted challenges with work, relationships, and social acceptance, yet continues to embrace life fully, balancing her roles as a partner, professional, and advocate in her own unique way. Her approach to love, fashion, and personal growth reflects a mix of practicality, sensuality, and self-awareness, and she often emphasizes the importance of taking control of one’s own narrative. Crista also offers guidance to younger transgender women, encouraging them to pursue their transitions confidently and on their own terms, illustrating through her experiences that early self-realization and decisive action can profoundly shape one’s sense of identity and happiness. She embraces life’s unpredictability with resilience, seeing challenges as opportunities to grow and learn. Crista is candid about her experiences in the dating world and the complexities of relationships, offering insight into navigating love authentically. She is a strong believer in self-expression, whether through fashion, creativity, or personal choices, and advocates for living boldly without apology. Her life story is a testament to resilience, humor, and living boldly in the pursuit of personal authenticity.
Monika: Today I am thrilled and honored to sit down with Crista Lynn, a captivating video blogger who has been sharing her transition journey on YouTube with honesty, humor, and courage. Crista’s videos offer a unique and personal insight into her life as a transgender woman, inspiring countless viewers with her openness and adventurous spirit. Hello, Crista! It’s such a pleasure to have you here.
Crista: Hello everyone! I’m so happy to be here and excited to share my story with you today.
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"I also wanted to share my experience
with not just others in the community, but everyone in general." |
Monika: Could you tell us a little about yourself and what a typical day looks like for you?
Crista: Well, I like to think that I’m a pretty normal person, except when I’m going through one of my crazy spells. When I’m not getting into trouble, I’m usually a quiet, outdoors adventurer, found swimming at the bottom of some waterfall, out in the desert, catching new pet lizards, at home doing some arts and crafts project, or sleeping after a hard day’s work.
Monika: What inspired you to start sharing your transition journey on YouTube?
Crista: Well, I was bored and had just finished writing my memoir, When Fantasies Are Fulfilled, and I was looking for a way to promote my work, which is still in the never-ending process of being published. What a nightmare! I just wanted to bring my story to life and get it out there ahead of being published on paper, and I guess I was also looking for attention, as usual.
Monika: Did you hope to reach a specific audience with your videos?
Crista: Of course, I wanted to share my experience not just with others in the transgender community, but with everyone in general. I wouldn’t say that I’m a proper role model, given what I did with myself once I finished my transition, which was to become a porn star, not prior to SRS, but after SRS, once I realized how much better sex was with all the female parts.
Monika: Your videos are known for their candidness and boldness. Was there another reason you shared your story?
Crista: I haven’t gotten to that part yet in my YouTube videos, but if and when I do, the true story will take an entirely different direction than it started out. I guess I also shared it because I like to shock people for some reason. I think I enjoy seeing the reactions on people’s faces… or so I’m told.
Monika: Can you describe what stage of your transition you are at right now?
Crista: I’m currently, and have been, in the “just living life phase” for about 11 years now. I had my SRS on December 25th, 2004. It was a 15-hour surgery in Thailand with Dr. Suporn, and I woke up only moments after the tsunami hit, if you recall. I opened my eyes and everyone was running around in the hospital like crazy. The day my vagina was made, a tidal flood took out that same section of the country, and I’ve been riding that wave ever since.
Monika: How has your life changed since completing your physical transition?
Crista: These days, I bounce between playing housewife and career woman, still trying to figure it all out, as if the answer hadn’t arrived the moment I finished my physical transition. I don’t think I expected it to; I just didn’t think I’d still be trying to figure myself out and how to fit into whichever part of society I best fall into. I wouldn’t say that any of that has much to do with my change, not at this point in my life, not anymore.
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"When I came out to my then-girlfriend,
she proposed to me and we married 3 months after my coming out." |
Monika: How do you approach relationships and dating now that you are fully transitioned?
Crista: When I’m single, I go out and get laid like everyone else. The only time I even bring up my transition is when feelings start to develop. But beforehand, hell no, not unless asked. There was a time at the very beginning after SRS when I kept it a secret, and then when I fell in love with a man for the first time, I cried as I told him, and it ended badly. I believe it went badly because I cried, giving off the impression that I was ashamed. Then after that, I began saying to people, Hi, I’m Crista, and I used to be a guy, just to get it out there and over with.
Monika: Do you still feel the need to disclose your transition to people today?
Crista: Now I’m past that phase, and I’ll tell the truth if someone asks me outright, but I don’t just throw it out there anymore to get a rise out of people. I’m sure people still assume or sense it, mainly due to my voice and mainly because I’ve been too lazy to work on it and stop smoking, which is why I plan to fly back to Thailand in less than a year to have that done as well and be done with it. It just gets annoying more than anything, but it’s the last thing to bother me, having someone ask if I’m trans. Other than that, not much else happens after that last surgery.
Monika: How do you feel about the aging process and taking care of yourself now?
Crista: Nowadays, I’m just watching my body get older, hairs turn grey from time to time, and things hurt when I wake up, that sort of thing. I am thankful that I take hormones because there’ll be no menopause to help age me. That, along with all the plastic surgeries, keeps me looking younger, and I still get told I look 27, when in fact… yeah.
Monika: At what age did you begin your transition, and how quickly did you complete it?
Crista: I began my change at 22 years old and finished at 23 years old, from coming out, even to myself, to SRS. It was almost all done in an instant. No, it wasn’t a difficult process, more so for those around me, but once I realized, hey, this is something I can actually do, I went and did it. No second thoughts, no looking back.
Monika: How did your surgical journey unfold during that time?
Crista: I had my first cosmetic surgery three months after realizing that I was trans, and the rest is history, with surgeries every three or so months thereafter until SRS. My voice is just going to be the cherry on top of the icing on the cake at this point, and only now because I believe the procedure is a lot better than it was ten years ago.
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"I was scared shitless that my
employer would fire me."
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Monika: Did you have support from your family and friends during your transition?
Crista: As for support, when I came out to my then-girlfriend, she proposed to me and we married three months after my coming out. Family said that explains a lot, and every last one of my friends abandoned me in one fell swoop. When it was time to tell them, I showed up in drag at a party they were having, and they all said, ‘I knew it,’ which was pretty much the last time I saw any of them. I guess it must have had some long-term effect on me because I still don’t care much for friends, but that’s another story.
Monika: During your transition, did you have any transgender role models who inspired or guided you?
Crista: Yes. I think we all do, and mine was a woman in the community by the name of Kathrine. I even talked to her on the phone once, which is why when I learn that I’m someone’s role model, I take the time out to talk, text, email, or whatever, so that I can give them whatever peace of mind I have to offer them.
Monika: Looking back, what was the most difficult part of coming out for you?
Crista: Work. I was scared shitless that my employer would fire me because that’s how I paid for everything. Instead, they promoted me, gave me all the time off I needed, and supported me in every way possible. Until after my SRS, when I began hitting on some of my coworkers, and then, well, that went downhill as well.
Monika: How do you feel about the current situation for transgender women in American society?
Crista: I think it’s getting better. Every time I’ve been to jail after my SRS, they accommodate me properly, keep me with the women, and so on. Some of the guards are and always will be backward-ass hillbillies, but that’s where my loving boyfriend comes in. All I do when I’m in jail and that happens is call him, and then he calls the attorney general, the news, and the captain of whichever jail I might be in, and then it all gets solved. Ahem.
Monika: Do you think social acceptance and visibility for transgender people are improving more broadly?
Crista: I honestly do think it’s getting better. We’re becoming more common, transitioning at younger ages, and looking better, and now I think we’re everywhere. The same goes for the entire LGBT community. With all the TV shows and media coverage out there, it’s no longer the mystery it once was, and that is a good thing.
Monika: Do you think transgender rights could represent a new frontier in the fight for human rights?
Crista: With all the crap out there, it is just a small part of the bigger picture, but our rights, as far as I can tell, are out there and being honored. I think there are still a few states in the USA that need to allow simple changes to your driver's license or birth certificate, but other than that, it’s coming along.
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"I honestly do think it’s getting better,
we’re getting more common,
transitioning younger and looking better."
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Monika: What is your opinion on how transgender characters and stories have been represented in films, books, and the media so far?
Crista: It depends on the show or movie. The ones I’ve seen show the basics, but then again, I don’t watch much TV these days to know all that’s out there. I did see and like the one about the transgender hitwoman though. That was a twist.
Monika: The transgender movement is often represented alongside other LGBT communities. Do you think the transgender community is able to advocate for its own issues within the larger LGBT group?
Crista: Yes, of course. I think there’s a group mindset that you’re part of the LGBT, and then whichever one you fall into gets your personal focus. If you’re at a pride parade, then it’s the whole community. If you are out on the street, then it’s whichever one you are first, then the community, depending on how much of an activist you are, I guess. I am not, for one, but I’m sure there are those out there, and the more power to them. If not for them, I could’ve been born in medieval times, and then, well, I’d be screwed. I’m glad for technology and the day I decided to make the leap.
Monika: Are you personally active in politics or advocacy, and do you think transgender women can have an impact in political roles?
Crista: No, not me personally, and yes, of course, a trans could make a difference, but I think in order to get such a political role, the difference they’ll be making would have to be more than just about trans issues. I don’t think someone would be elected into politics just for being trans and to fix trans issues. It’s a weird question. I’m really not that political.
END OF PART 1
All the photos: Courtesy of Crista Lynn.
© 2015 - Monika Kowalska
