Interview with Nova Twelve

Every once in a while, I come across a story that feels like a patchwork quilt, stitched together with unexpected experiences, bright flashes of humor, and a sense of adventure that refuses to stay inside the lines. Today’s guest is very much that kind of story. Meet Nova Twelve, a young American video blogger whose YouTube channel has become a lively stage where transition, comedy, and creativity intertwine. Originally from the Williamsburg area of Virginia and now based in South Carolina, Nova has a fascinating mix of passions and experiences that shape her outlook on life. Her academic path alone could fill a chapter in a memoir: an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University, followed by a Master’s degree in Counseling from The Citadel. Add to that her formal education in both Cosmetology and Culinary Arts, and you quickly realize she’s someone who thrives on curiosity and reinvention. But if you ask Nova what she’s most proud of, she won’t list diplomas or certifications, she’ll tell you about her travels. To date, she has visited 52 countries, each one adding a new piece to her global mosaic, and she’s set her sights on reaching 100. On YouTube, Nova doesn’t just share her transition, she transforms it into something approachable, funny, and refreshingly human.

Interview with Kendra Brill

Some stories remind us that no matter how far we fall, we can rise again, stronger, wiser, and more radiant than before. Today, I have the true privilege of sharing one of those stories with you. My guest is Kendra Brill, the remarkable woman whose life journey is captured in The Kendra Brill Story (2017). Kendra’s life has not been an easy road. She has walked through struggles that many of us can hardly imagine, addiction, incarceration, rejection, loneliness. She has known what it means to stand at rock bottom. But she has also discovered something even greater: the courage to climb, the strength to transform, and the grace to embrace her authentic self as the woman she was always meant to be. Her story is not just about survival, it is about triumph. It is about finding family in unexpected places, and about being lifted up by love when the world seemed determined to pull her down. It is about believing that faith can heal, that wounds can become wisdom, and that no person is ever too broken to be made whole again. What makes Kendra so inspiring is not simply that she overcame hardships, it is the way she turned those hardships into hope for others. She shares her truth openly, without shame, because she knows that visibility saves lives. 

Interview with Yvette Tourettes

When it comes to online creators, authenticity often makes the strongest impression, and my guest today embodies exactly that. Known to her YouTube audience as “Yvette Tourettes,” Kelly Pärlefrost is a content-maker from Stockholm, Sweden, who shares her journey with remarkable honesty and creativity. At just 23 years old (soon turning 24), Kelly has already worn many hats: assistant nurse, student preparing for higher studies in pharmacy and chemistry, and now an emerging voice within the trans community through her online presence. Kelly’s channel is more than entertainment, it is a personal archive of resilience and growth. One of her most notable projects, a video montage tracing her life from childhood to the present day, reflects not only her evolving style but also the courage it takes to embrace one’s identity publicly. For years, Kelly preferred to keep her transgender background private, dreaming of simply being seen as any other girl. Yet, over time, she came to understand that her journey is not something to hide but a source of strength, and by sharing it she may inspire others walking a similar path. Her influences include trailblazing figures like Caroline Cossey, a model and actress who carved out space for trans visibility in the 1980s, and whose career Kelly admires for both its glamour and resilience against prejudice. Like Cossey, Kelly is drawn to fashion and beauty, particularly the artistry of make-up, which she describes as a way to express moods, eras, and emotions.

Interview with Claire Michelle

Claire Michelle is a multi-talented American musician, artist, and video blogger whose creative work and personal journey have inspired a growing audience across the United States and beyond. Hailing from Seattle, Claire stands out not only for her musical talents but also as one of the few openly transgender musicians actively shaping the local arts scene. Through her work in band management, her solo projects, and her engaging YouTube channel, she has created a platform that combines artistry with authenticity, offering a window into both her creative life and her experiences as a transgender woman. Claire’s YouTube channel, which she originally started as a personal diary, has grown into a vital space for education and visibility, where she documents the intricacies of transition while sharing her love of music. From her “Trans Singing 101” series, designed to guide trans women in finding their feminine singing voice, to candid travel vlogs and performance videos, Claire demonstrates both technical skill and a genuine desire to empower others. Her work resonates deeply with fans, many of whom reach out to her to share how her journey has encouraged them to pursue their own artistic dreams or embrace their identities with confidence.

Interview with Kirsty Jayne Crow

When we think of lives that read like a novel, few could rival the extraordinary story of Kirsty Jayne Crow. Born on the beautiful island of Jersey, Kirsty grew up surrounded by family love and the kind of picturesque childhood that might have promised a straightforward path ahead. Yet, from the age of eight, she was already grappling with a deep sense of gender incongruence, quietly envying her sisters’ silky hair and elegant clothes. Alongside this internal struggle, she discovered another passion, aviation, which would chart the early course of her professional life. By her teens, she was already flying, preparing for what seemed like a glittering future in the skies. But life, with its unexpected twists, intervened: a diagnosis of insulin-dependent diabetes at twenty-two brought an abrupt end to her dream of becoming a pilot. Resilient and determined, Kirsty built a successful career in airline operations, working for major carriers across the globe. Yet, behind the professionalism and discipline required in aviation, gender dysphoria remained an unrelenting shadow, shaping her personal relationships and, eventually, her destiny. Like many trans women of her generation, she clung to the belief that love alone could "cure" her. That hope carried her through two difficult marriages before she met Julia, the woman who would become not only her partner but also her rock throughout her transition.

Interview with Jessnisa

When it comes to transgender visibility in Southeast Asia, Thailand often comes to mind first. Known internationally as a place where transgender women are both more visible and more socially acknowledged than in many other parts of the world, the country has produced a new generation of role models, beauty queens, and public figures who are changing perceptions every day. Among this new wave of voices is Jessnisa, a young Thai model and video blogger who has embraced the power of storytelling through social media. By documenting her transition journey on YouTube, she has not only carved out a space for herself in the digital world but has also become an inspiration for many other transgender women who are still searching for the courage to live authentically. Jess, as she prefers to be called, radiates confidence and ambition. Her story is one of persistence, personal growth, and determination to follow her dreams despite challenges. Through her modeling career, fashion enthusiasm, and presence in transgender beauty pageants, Jess has shown that she is more than just a voice online, she is also a visible face of the vibrant Thai transgender community.

 

At the same time, she is deeply honest about the struggles of acceptance, particularly within her own family, and the stereotypes that transgender women in Thailand still encounter both at home and abroad. What makes Jess stand out is her passion for lifting others up. She openly shares the joys and struggles of hormone therapy, her hopes for future surgeries, and her experiences with both prejudice and empowerment. By doing so, she encourages other transgender women to embrace their identities and take steps toward becoming the women they dream of being. She admires pioneers like Poy Treechada, one of Thailand’s most celebrated transgender figures, yet she is also carving her own unique path. Whether on the runway, in beauty pageants, or in front of a camera, Jess embodies the mix of elegance, strength, and youthful drive that makes her such a compelling figure to follow. Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Jess about her journey so far, her modeling career, her thoughts on the representation of transgender women in Thai media, and her dreams for the future.

Interview with Rhyannon Styles

When we talk about trailblazers within the British transgender and LGBTQ community, one name shines with particular resonance, Rhyannon Styles. She is an actress, writer, performer, columnist, and activist who has brought visibility, creativity, and honesty to countless audiences over the past two decades. Many first came to know her as a fearless performer with Carnesky Productions, where she pushed boundaries and reinvented theatrical magic with raw and unapologetic power. Others discovered her through her writing, including her candid and witty columns for ELLE UK, which captured the nuances of transgender life with grace, humor, and sharp social insight. In 2017, she expanded that honesty into her widely acclaimed memoir The New Girl: A Trans Girl Tells It Like It Is, a book that resonated deeply with readers navigating identity, resilience, and the courage to live authentically. Rhyannon’s career has spanned both stage and screen, from avant-garde performances in London’s Soho Theatre to dancing alongside Kylie Minogue on ITV, touring with Arcade Fire, and stepping into television drama with the BBC’s groundbreaking Boy Meets Girl. Each step in her journey has been marked not only by her artistic range but also by her determination to amplify trans voices and open doors for the next generation of performers. 

Interview with Caroline Cossey

There are women whose lives shimmer quietly, glimpses of grace in the everyday. And then, there are women like Caroline Cossey, whose very existence reshaped the world’s understanding of beauty, courage, and what it means to live as your whole self. Born in the pastoral calm of Brooke, Norfolk, Caroline entered the world with a secret written in her chromosomes, an intersex variation that gave her a soft, feminine appearance long before doctors could explain it. But in the rigid world of mid-century England, difference was not met with wonder. Caroline’s girlhood was laced with confusion, shame, and bullying, her delicate features marking her as an outsider before she even had the words to defend herself. Yet even in those early years, there were glimpses of the woman she was becoming: the way she and her sister Pam would play dress-up in their mother’s clothes, or how she longed, quietly and achingly, to be seen. To be recognized. To belong, not in disguise, but in truth. 

 

At sixteen, she left school and fled to London, where the city’s electric anonymity gave her a taste of freedom. She took jobs as an usherette, a shop assistant, a showgirl. By seventeen, she had begun hormone therapy. By twenty, she had undergone gender-affirming surgery. And by twenty-one, she was reinventing herself in front of cameras, tall, poised, breathtaking, as the model known as Tula. The world saw the glamour. The magazine spreads in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. The dazzling smile on television. The magnetic presence in the 1981 James Bond film For Your Eyes Only. What they didn’t see, until a tabloid brutally outed her, was the private cost of that visibility. In one day, the headlines erased her privacy, twisted her womanhood into scandal, and left her emotionally shattered. But Caroline didn’t break. She rose. She chose, instead, to tell her story on her own terms. Through her memoirs, I Am a Woman and My Story, she gave voice to a truth the world wasn’t ready for, but desperately needed to hear. She showed us that trans women are not shameful secrets, but full and radiant beings, capable of loving, hurting, rising, and remaking the world in our image.

Interview with Michelle Raine

Michelle Raine is a Canadian actress, theatre student, and video blogger whose openness and authenticity have made her a relatable voice in the transgender community. Based in Nova Scotia, Michelle is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in theatre, all while balancing her academic life with her artistic passions. From acting in productions to writing plays, she continues to carve out a space for herself in the world of performance. But Michelle is more than just a student and an actress, she is also a storyteller who shares her journey of transition on YouTube. At a time when she was still very early in her transition, she began documenting her experiences through video blogs, giving viewers an intimate glimpse into the realities of self-discovery, identity, and resilience. Her channel became a way not only to reach out for support but also to provide encouragement for others navigating similar paths. For Michelle, YouTube offered something powerful: a community where she could feel less alone and where she could also give back by answering questions, offering advice, and sharing moments of vulnerability. Her honesty resonates with many. Whether she’s talking about the joys of hormone therapy, the challenges of facial hair, or the sometimes awkward questions she receives from viewers, Michelle approaches each subject with humor and sincerity.

Interview with Crissy Red

When it comes to telling transgender stories, there are many different ways to raise awareness, foster understanding, and build community. Some take to the streets, marching with banners and megaphones. Others dive into politics, lobbying for much-needed reforms. And then there are those, like Crissy Red, who choose the power of storytelling through the lens of a camera. A Canadian video blogger, Crissy has carved out a unique space on YouTube where she shares her life experiences as a transsexual woman with honesty, wit, and warmth. Crissy’s journey began in the late 1990s, a time when conversations about transgender lives were far more limited than they are today. In 1999, after years of feeling as though something fundamental in her life was missing, she entered therapy and was told that what she was experiencing had a name: gender dysphoria. From that moment, she set her life in motion toward authenticity, beginning hormone therapy, legally changing her identity, and preparing for gender reassignment surgery. By 2004, she had completed her transition and describes the experience as if “being released from prison.” But Crissy didn’t stop there. Recognizing that not everyone has access to real-life role models or supportive communities, she turned to YouTube to create the kind of resource she wished she had found years earlier. 

Interview with Andrea Chrysanthe

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview an American transgender musician and video blogger: Andrea Chrysanthe, who documents her transition on YouTube. Hello Andrea!

Andrea: Hello Monika, it's good to be here.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Andrea: I always had diverse interests so I'm a licensed x-ray technician, medical assistant, and phlebotomist, nearly completed with my bachelor’s degree in physics and teaching, I also am a musician, and audio engineer. I've also done the majority of my own tattoos, myself.

Monika: You like tattoos? You are not afraid that someday you may need to remove them and it will be difficult to do so?

Andrea: I did most of my own tattoos, as I wanted to be able to do personalize them more to reflect my thoughts and experiences more accurately. While I've thought about the implications of removing them, I don't think I will because they've become a part of who I am and they represent a side of me that would otherwise not be visible. I feel I still have a lot more to do.

Interview with Prof. Deirdre Nansen McCloskey

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Prof. Deirdre Nansen McCloskey, a well-known American economist, historian, and rhetorician, LGBTQ activist, the author of 17 books and over 400 scholarly pieces on topics ranging from technical economics and statistical theory to transgender advocacy, including the biographical book titled “Crossing: A Memoir” (2000). For more information about her academic career, see deirdremccloskey.com.

Monika: Let me tease you a bit. Some people say that economists can be compared to weather forecasting guys we see on TV. They are most precise at describing the weather we had yesterday but far from being precise when they have to tell us whether it is going to rain or not tomorrow. Do you object? :)

Prof. McCloskey: A little bit! I wrote a book in 1990 entitled "If You're So Smart" arguing that economists cannot predict profitably, simply because if they could they would all be rich. And, believe me, I am not rich. People, and some economists (when they are also people), think that economics is indeed like forecasting the weather. It is not. The economic "clouds" and "cold fronts" are listening.

Interview with Juno Roche

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Juno Roche, a Writer, and Campaigner, Patron of cliniQ, and a Trustee of the Sophia Forum. Juno writes for a wide range of publications and is currently writing her first book. Juno campaigns for transgender equality focusing on the education and sexual healthcare sectors. Juno has been HIV positive for over twenty years and considers herself a 'long-term thriver'. Juno was a Blair Peach Award winner, one of the most influential LGBTQ leaders in the UK, listed in the Rainbow List 2014/2015 and the World Pride Power List 2015. Juno was shortlisted for the European Campaigner of the Year in 2016 and has just been shortlisted for Campaigner of the Year by Diva Magazine. Hello Juno!

Juno: Hi Monika, it's lovely to chat with you.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Juno: Mmmm, a few words, I'm known really for talking an awful lot so a few words always seem difficult, but I am a happy, energized, and driven woman who wants simply to make a world for trans peeps which is full of aspiration and equal chances and to enjoy my own life.

Interview with Alexus Sheppard

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Alexus Sheppard from the USA. Alexus recently published her memoir, From Both Sides Now, which is available from Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, and Nook. She is a published author, educator, transgender activist, blogger, and happily married woman with two beautiful grown daughters. Hello Alexus!

Alexus: Hello, Monika. And thank you for this interview.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Alexus: My life has been a series of contradictions and expansions. Since I grew up on a farm in rural Kansas, I was raised much like any other conservative, Midwestern, Christian child. But even with this very structured childhood, I was aware at an early age that something was different about me. As a result, I never felt that I “fit” into any particular group of children. This inner angst was the early seed of my life as an “outsider” and decades later would lead to the start of my spiritual journey away from a conservative and traditional life.

Interview with Riki Wilchins

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Riki Wilchins, an American LGBTQ rights activist, one of six activists named by TIME Magazine among its "100 Civic Innovators for the 21st Century," founder of The Transsexual Menace, Camp Trans, GenderPAC, and author of "Read My Lips: Sexual Subversion and the End of Gender" (1997). Hello Riki!

Riki: Hello Monika!

Monika: Do you still wear the Transsexual Menace logo? :)
Riki: Alas, no – I haven’t had an occasion to wear mine lately.

Interview with Monica P Mulholland

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Monica P Mulholland, a writer and transgender activist living in New Zealand. She is the president-elect of Queenstown Rotary Club, the co-author of the book titled “ME!: The gift of being Transgender” (2016), available only on Amazon as a Kindle book. Hello Monika!

Monica: Hi Monika, I am deeply honored to be nominated to be included on your Heroines page. I think it is extremely important for TG people to have role models. Role models have an important part to play in helping reduce the terrible suicide rates that plague our community. Thank you so much for doing this work!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Monica: I am a late bloomer. I am soon to be 60 and started my societal transition a year ago. I do not regret it in the slightest. The general consensus is that I am a much happier and outgoing person since I started living as my true self. It is never too late to be yourself.

Interview with Kira Darling Brand

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Kira Darling Brand, a writer, YouTube vlogger, the author of the biographical book titled "Becoming Her: From Man, To Woman: Part 1" (2016).

Kira: Hello, Monika! Thank you so much for this opportunity to shed a positive light on an oppressed and highly misunderstood group of people. I was absolutely thrilled to hear from you!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Kira: Certainly. I am currently 28 years old and struggling to find a stable career in the largely trans-phobic workforce of Alabama. I'm working towards establishing my career in writing, which includes books, short stories, and several genres of music. I am also a YouTube personality and video blogger, with a small following of about 2,200 people, who enjoy my comedy, political satire, how-to guides, and civil rights activism.

Interview with Emily

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Emily, an American video blogger that documents her transgender transition on her YouTube vlog called It's Emily!. Hello Emily!

Emily: Hi Monika! It's a pleasure!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Emily: Certainly! I started transitioning about a year ago. I'm 31 years old and from Boston. I'm a very outgoing and confident person, which was not always the case! I'm just living and loving life!

Monika: Why did you decide to share your transition details on YouTube?

Emily: To be perfectly honest, it was something I did randomly for myself. I felt like I wanted to document my transition so I could see how far I've come and so I would not forget just how much has changed and to have something to look back at during the challenging times of my transition. It wasn't till after a few weeks in I started seeing others enjoying them and subscribing, which makes me love doing them even more now.

Interview with Scottie Madden

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Scottie Madden, an American writer, showrunner of adventure reality TV, director, and producer of many documentaries, and the author of “Getting Back to Me: From Girl to Boy to Woman in Just Fifty Years” (2015). And she writes a weekly blog called "Raised By Wolves" and Zuzubean Press. Hello Scottie!

Scottie: Hello, Monika! And I'm honored to be speaking with you - you've kept some amazing company through your blog here - talk about collective wisdom and experience! 

Monika: You can boast of a splendid career in film-making. Do you regard yourself more as a producer, director, or writer?

Scottie: I have always used the term "storyteller" - I grew up in the fine arts with an incredible master artisan as my mentor, and I apply the same aesthetic to my filmmaking - Gerhard inspired and implored me to push both whatever medium I was/am using at the time, be it clay, gold, television screenplay or adventure reality series and the entire story unfolding before me to create something that is the fullest experience possible for the audience.

Interview with Melody Maia Monet

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Melody Maia Monet, an American video blogger who shares her experiences as a transgender woman on YouTube. Hello Melody!

Melody: Hello Monika! Thank you for asking little ‘ol me for an interview.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Melody: Sure. I am a 46 yr old and five years post-op trans woman living in Orlando, Florida. I was born in NYC to Latino immigrant parents and grew up on Long Island in New York State. I went to Princeton University, which is where I met my ex-wife. We were married for 15 years and have a teenage son. We divorced after I came out as transgender, so I moved to Florida where I have a family. I love it here!

Monika: Why did you decide to share your life on YouTube?

Melody: I noticed that many of the more prominent transgender people on YouTube are young and tend to be straight and into a glamour type of look. I saw lots of transition-based channels with “this is me after 3 months on hormones” and a lot of sadness and resentment in the mix. I wanted to create a positive-minded channel focused on the everyday realities of my transgender and lesbian life.

Interview with Christi Brekke

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Christi Brekke, writer, blogger, the author of the biographical book titled “I Want to Be Her” (2016). Hello Christi!

Christi: Hi Monika! Thanks so much for speaking with me. Considering the number of high-profile women you have interviewed in the past, this is a real honor.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Christi: Sure. I’m from the US Pacific Northwest, where I still live today with my long-time wife and cat. I love music, movies and film, reading and writing, and spending as much time as possible pursuing my happiness. Over the past six years, I have lost 150 lbs and conquered several major health issues. Today, I am healthier and happier than ever before.

Interview with Gabriele Orman

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Gabriele Orman, a British video blogger that documents her transition on YouTube. Hello Gabriele!

Gabriele: Hello Monika, nice to meet you, honey!!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Gabriele: Yes sure. Well, I am a YouTuber and I document my transition in the form of online videos. I also do product reviews, mainly targeted at trans individuals to give them hope and inspiration. 

Monika: Why did you decide to share your transition details on YouTube?

Gabriele: I decided to do this as I’m a very outgoing person and I wanted to share my story as every trans story is different but some other trans people could relate to my particular story and basically because I think it’s good to raise awareness of topics that are brushed under the carpet in society.

Interview with Caisie Breen

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Caisie Breen, transgender writer, the author of the biographical book titled “Songbyrd: Becoming She” (2016). Hello Caisie!

Caisie: Hello Monika. Thank you for taking the time to interview me.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Caisie: I’m 61 years old and have been married to the same lovely woman for over 36 years. We have two adult sons and are owners of a small plumbing and electrical service company in Portland, Oregon.

Monika: Why did you decide to write your memoir?

Caisie: Frankly, I think it’s one of the boilerplate recommendations given to transgender people by our therapists, early on, as a way to help us transition. I got my advice years ago and immediately began keeping journals.

Interview with Renee Norlander

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Renee Norlander, writer, blogger, the author of the biographical book titled “Life from Both Sides: Deciphering the Transgendered Mind” (2015). Hello Renee!

Renee: Hi, Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Renee: In addition to being a mid-forties transwoman with grace and dignity, I am a published author, screenwriter, and co-owner of Risa Tortuga productions. I am recently divorced from a 15-year relationship that garnered two wonderful and beautiful children.

I suffered through the vast majority of my life thinking I was wrong for feeling the way I did. Having thoughts of changing my gender in such a way as to live as a woman, the woman I always felt I was meant to be.