Emily is a 31-year-old video blogger from Boston who has been sharing her transition journey with the world on her YouTube channel, It’s Emily!. What started as a personal project to document her own milestones quickly grew into something much bigger. Over time, Emily’s videos attracted a supportive audience who connected with her honesty, humor, and openness. For many, her channel has become more than just a transition diary, it’s a space of encouragement, authenticity, and shared stories from people across the transgender community and beyond. Emily describes herself as outgoing and confident, though she admits that wasn’t always the case. Her transition has brought her a newfound sense of happiness and freedom, and she radiates that energy in everything she does. Whether she’s chatting about her experiences with hormone therapy, reflecting on the challenges of going full-time, or simply celebrating little victories like her first Christmas as Emily, she does so with warmth and sincerity. It’s this genuineness that makes her such a relatable figure for her viewers, who often reach out not only with questions about transition but also to share their own deeply personal journeys.
She finds inspiration in trailblazers like Jazz Jennings, whom she admired from a young age, and in her own aunt, who transitioned years earlier and showed her that living authentically was possible, even in more difficult times. Family has played a crucial role in her story, one of her greatest joys has been receiving unconditional support and acceptance from loved ones, a source of strength she treasures deeply. As Emily settles into life full-time and continues her medical transition, she is also becoming more involved in her local LGBTQ community. She has already connected with other transgender individuals through meetings and friendships, and she hopes to volunteer with organizations like Freedom Massachusetts to give back in meaningful ways. When she looks ahead, Emily envisions a future where she can not only live her life to the fullest but also inspire and help others as they begin their own journeys. Outside of activism and vlogging, Emily describes herself as a “simple girl.” When it comes to fashion, she favors jeans, a nice top, and her beloved cardigan, though she admits she has a soft spot for wearing red. She also values love, not only in the romantic sense but, more importantly, in the form of the strong bonds of friendship and family that have carried her through both the joys and challenges of transition.
Through her YouTube channel, Emily has created something special: a space where she can share, reflect, and encourage others, while also reminding herself how far she’s come. She’s a woman who speaks from the heart, improvises rather than scripting her words, and embraces the honesty of living in the moment. That authenticity is what makes her voice so refreshing and inspiring. Today, I have the pleasure of talking with Emily about her life, her transition, her YouTube channel, and her hopes for the future.
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| 6 Months HRT (YouTube) |
Monika: Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Emily, an American video blogger who documents her transgender transition on her YouTube channel It’s Emily!. Hello, Emily!
Emily: Hi Monika! It's a pleasure!
Monika: For those who may not know you yet, could you introduce yourself and share a little about your background?
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: What inspired you to start documenting your transition journey 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.
Monika: You must receive a wide variety of questions from your YouTube followers. What do they usually want to know?
Emily: I do! They have ranged from asking me to do certain topics in my videos, to questions about if I’ve yet to do "this or that" in my transition and how it worked out for me. Mostly, however, I get a lot of people wanting to tell me their story. Those are the ones I love the most, when I get to hear other people opening up to me and I get to listen to their stories about who they are and where they are coming from. Those always make me feel special.
Monika: Among all those interactions, what has been the most unusual or surprising question you’ve received?
Emily: I'd have to say I was asked once to do a video on "doing my hair" when my hair was much shorter and was asked to do it with someone else because they wanted it to be long hair. That felt odd, as I didn't and don't have long hair yet, so I really don't know how to style it. So unfortunately, I couldn't help with that one.
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| New Year's toast with roommate. |
Monika: When creating your videos, do you plan them out in advance or prefer to speak spontaneously?
Emily: I just improvise! I wrote one once when I did a Q&A with my best friend, but that was just so I knew what to ask. I feel like improvising makes it more honest. When I do a video, I want to speak about how I'm really feeling, and if it were written down, I’d just be reading it like a script. I'd rather it come from the heart and express how I'm really feeling in that moment when I’m thinking about what I’m discussing.
Monika: Could you share where you are in your transition journey at the moment?
Emily: I just went full-time a month ago and have been on HRT for 11 months. Right now in my transition, I’m still working on electrolysis and thinking about the next steps in the coming years of my transition. Mostly, I’m just trying to get used to being full-time. It's a very drastic change when it first happens, and it's something I’m trying to adjust to, but with that I’ve never been happier!
Monika: How do you feel about the results of hormone therapy so far?
Emily: Yes! I honestly wasn't expecting a lot when I first started hormones. However, my results showed right away! My roommate likes to say I woke up with a chest, which isn't too far from the truth. I feel very lucky with the results I've had so far on HRT and can't wait to see what comes next!
Monika: Have there been any transgender role models who inspired or influenced you on your journey?
Emily: I remember watching a very young Jazz Jennings when I was a teenager and thinking how awesome it was that she was doing this and being herself at such a young age! So I've always followed her story as I continued to try to accept myself.
Monika: Beyond public figures, has anyone in your own life served as a source of inspiration?
Emily: Yes, my aunt came out as transgender when I was young. I always envied her courage and the strength it took to come out at a much harder time than the present. Her coming out also helped me a great deal when my time came, as this was something one side of my family had already gone through.
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| Her first Christmas as Emily. |
Monika: Coming out can be one of the most difficult steps in a transition. What was the biggest challenge for you?
Emily: The hardest thing was coming out to my family. I wasn't sure how it would be received, and it took a lot of build-up to finally tell them. In the end, I was accepted with open arms, and they can see that I'm a much happier person than I was before.
Monika: How would you describe the current situation of transgender women in the United States?
Emily: I believe a lot of progress has been made for transgender women in the United States. However, this does not mean there isn't work to be done. Living in the Northeast in a very liberal city, I have not had to deal with a lot of negativity, as I’m sure someone living further south would. I know in a lot of places it's still hard to change your gender on your birth certificate, as well as many other things. I think there are many more improvements that can be made for trans women, and women in general in this country, and I hope to one day see them happen in my time.
Monika: Representation matters deeply. What are your thoughts on how transgender people are portrayed in media, literature, and film?
Emily: I think people being able to tell their stories is amazing, and it can help many people in the trans community who might be struggling or just wanting to know they are not alone. However, when it comes to cisgender male actors playing trans characters, this is where I take issue. I believe this hurts the trans community as it gives the interpretation that transgender women are men, which is false. I also feel it takes jobs away from trans actors and actresses who should be getting those roles to begin with. I hope to see this one day change.
Monika: Do you take part in activities or initiatives within your local LGBTQ community?
Emily: That is something I've been starting to do recently and want to do more of. I have met many other trans individuals, whether at meetings or just through friends and online interactions. I'm hoping to start volunteering for Freedom Massachusetts soon. I was approached by them recently about helping out, and I look forward to that.
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| Celebrating her name change with friends. |
Monika: Fashion can be a form of self-expression. How would you describe your personal style, and are there colors or trends you particularly enjoy?
Emily: I'm a very simple girl! Jeans and a top are all I need. I won't go anywhere without my cardigan just in case. Also, friends have told me I look best in reds, which I can't help but agree with.
Monika: Love takes many forms in our lives. What role does love play for you personally?
Emily: Love is very important in my life, but not romantic love. I hope one day to find that type of love, but what is most important to me is the love of my friends and family and the amount of support and acceptance I've received from them. After I came out, I did not lose one friend or family member in my life, and for that I am very grateful, as it's helped me along the way during my transition in both the good times and the bad.
Monika: Many transgender women choose to share their experiences in memoirs. Have you ever considered writing a book about your journey?
Emily: I have thought about this, and I'm still undecided. It would be nice to get my entire experience out for others to read and focus on the positive side of transitioning.
Monika: What advice would you give to transgender women who are afraid to begin their transition because of discrimination or hatred?
Emily: I would say always believe in yourself and never doubt who you are, even if others do! It may be hard, scratch that, it will be hard, but in the end, you'll receive happiness unlike anything you've ever felt, and at the end, you'll thank yourself and never look back!
Monika: Looking ahead, what are your next steps in your transition, and how do you imagine your life in the next five to seven years?
Emily: Right now, I'm looking to hopefully finish up electrolysis and look into what will come next in my transition. In five to seven years, I hope to be living this new life I’ve made for myself to the fullest, and I hope to be giving back and helping others who are starting to go through their own process like I did before them.
Monika: Emily, it has been a true pleasure speaking with you today. Thank you so much for sharing your story.
Emily: You're very welcome, Monika. Thank you!
All the photos: courtesy of Emily.
© 2017 - Monika Kowalska
