Melody Maia Monet is a 46-year-old American video blogger and outspoken transgender advocate, whose YouTube channel offers an authentic and candid glimpse into her life as a transgender woman. Living in Orlando, Florida, Melody is five years post-op and has dedicated herself to creating content that is both relatable and educational for a wide audience. Born in New York City to Latino immigrant parents and raised on Long Island, she later attended Princeton University, where she met her ex-wife. Married for 15 years, Melody is also the proud mother of a teenage son. After coming out as transgender, she moved to Florida, where she continues to cultivate a life rich with family, community involvement, and advocacy. Melody’s decision to share her life on YouTube was born from a desire to offer an alternative perspective to the transition-focused narratives dominating the platform. She noticed that many prominent transgender creators were young, straight, and glamor-focused, often emphasizing the early months of hormone therapy with undertones of sadness or resentment. Melody wanted to create a space that was positive, grounded, and honest, showing that a transgender life can be real, approachable, and full of the everyday experiences that people don’t often see. Her content addresses everything from voice development and hormone therapy results to intimate questions about sexuality and post-surgery experiences, all handled with frankness and humor.
Beyond her online presence, Melody is an active participant in the LGBTQ+ community. She works at a local LGBTQ nightclub, photographs at community events, marches in Orlando Pride, and has even sung with the Orlando Gay Chorus during vigils and fundraising efforts following the Pulse Nightclub tragedy. She writes a transgender opinion column for the local LGBTQ newspaper, Watermark, aiming to raise awareness and educate others about issues affecting the transgender community. Melody has also met some of the most prominent figures in the transgender movement, including Caitlyn Jenner and Jenny Boylan, whose book She’s Not There she describes as life-changing. Yet, despite her public persona and advocacy work, Melody remains grounded in her personal journey. She speaks openly about the challenges of coming out, the importance of love, and the ongoing pursuit of self-acceptance. Her approach to life is both pragmatic and inspiring: she encourages transgender women to build strong support systems, pursue their dreams, and understand that their journey toward happiness and fulfillment does not end on an operating table, it begins there.
In addition to her advocacy, Melody nurtures creative passions like music, aspiring to one day combine her YouTube platform and music career into a full-time endeavor. Through it all, she remains unapologetically herself: honest, thoughtful, and dedicated to helping others navigate the complexities of transgender life. Her story is a testament to resilience, authenticity, and the power of living fully as the person you were always meant to be.
Monika: Today, I’m excited to talk 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.
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| "My Transgender Transition" (YouTube) |
Monika: Could you start by telling us a little about yourself?
Melody: Sure. I am a 46-year-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: What inspired you to start sharing 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 have a glamour-focused look. I saw lots of transition-based channels with “this is me after three 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.
Monika: How do you aim to present yourself differently from other transgender creators?
Melody: I want to be “real” in the sense that I look like your neighbor who didn’t spend hours applying makeup or have a lot of expensive plastic surgery. Someone you get to know well enough that you are able to have very frank and honest conversations about things you wouldn’t dare ask most other trans people.
Monika: You must receive a lot of questions from your YouTube audience. What kinds of things do they usually ask?
Melody: Probably the number one question I get asked is how I developed my voice. I recently made a video on that topic to address the questions. I also get a lot of offline messages asking for advice on transition. Occasionally I get asked if I’m single or for my hand in marriage. lol.
Monika: One of my favorite videos of yours is “How I Grew Big Boobs.” It shows that not everything depends on hormones. Can you tell us more about that?
Melody: I was fortunate enough to have some breast development before hormones, but I grew a significant amount after starting estrogen therapy as well. Enough that I didn’t need to get implants. That, and a good pushup bra, has led to what you see. Most of this happened after middle age for me, so there is always hope.
Monika: You don’t shy away from intimate questions. How do you approach topics like your first female orgasm or post-surgery experiences?
Melody: I want my channel to be a place where people can go to have these questions answered without defensiveness and embarrassment. Many people have never met a transgender person, and these aren’t things they should be asking upon first meeting us either. I’ve heard these questions a million times and am difficult to embarrass, so I can fill the role of that close transgender friend people wish they had to satisfy their curiosity about these topics.
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| Photo taken at the Aloft Hotel in Downtown Orlando by Meredith Talusan to accompany her Buzzfeed article on the Pulse tragedy. |
Monika: What is the strangest or most unexpected question someone has ever asked you?
Melody: Somebody asked me the other day where exactly my urine comes out of after my surgery. There is a lot of curiosity and confusion out there with few places to find answers.
Monika: When creating your videos, do you plan everything in advance or mostly improvise?
Melody: Mostly I improvise, although I have made a general outline once or twice. I know the topic I want to speak about, go over things in my head that I want to cover, and then improvise the specifics. I write that way too. I almost never make an outline and just trust my brain will order it in a structured way.
Monika: Where are you currently in your transition journey?
Melody: I completed my own transition with bottom surgery five years ago. I’m just living my life as a woman who got here by the scenic route.
Monika: Are you happy with the results of your hormone therapy?
Melody: Yes. For someone who was nearly 40 before I took my first hormone pill, my results exceeded what I reasonably expected to happen. I do wish I had wider hips and a thinner waist, but is any woman ever satisfied with her body?
Monika: Did you have any transgender role models who inspired or guided you?
Melody: Before I started to transition, but after I came to the realization that I am transgender, I read She’s Not There by Jenny Boylan. That book changed my life because I realized all the feelings I had growing up were shared by someone else. I clung to the stories in that book like a roadmap during my transition. She’s my hero. I’ve been fortunate enough to meet her a few times and even got her to sign my dog-eared copy of her book.
Monika: I also noticed your video with Caitlyn Jenner. She is one of the most prominent transgender women in the United States…
Melody: …and maybe most controversial. I was able to meet her briefly at the GLAAD Media Awards in NYC last year. Even in a room full of celebrities like Robert DeNiro and Mariah Carey, she was a rockstar. She was personally very nice to me, however, I do not agree with her politics at all. Hopefully, she’ll use her access to conservative thinkers to broaden their education on transgender issues.
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| "How I Came Out as Transgender" (YouTube) |
Monika: What was the most difficult part of coming out as transgender?
Melody: Telling my then eight-year-old son that I am really a “girl.” My ex-wife and I consulted a therapist beforehand and then told him I was going to transition in terms he could understand. We also had to tell him that we were getting a divorce. I’ve come out to many people since then, but that was the only time I wanted to die on the spot.
Monika: How would you describe the current situation for transgender women in the United States?
Melody: It’s a very scary time to be transgender in the United States right now. Just as we were making headway with wins in the courtroom, guidance from the federal government to respect our gender identity, and medical protections in the Affordable Care Act, it all changed seemingly overnight. First with the passage of these “bathroom bills” in places like North Carolina, and then in the election of an administration that has no qualms with limiting our rights in the name of “religious freedom.” Nearly a dozen states have introduced legislation similar to North Carolina’s. What may happen in the future is scary.
Monika: How well do you think transgender stories and characters have been represented in films, newspapers, and books so far?
Melody: I think we still have a long way to go. There have been some notable recent developments with shows like Transparent and Orange Is the New Black, but more often than not, we are misgendered in newspapers and characterized as psycho killers in popular media. There is a lot of public fear surrounding trans women, despite the fact that we are the ones who are usually at risk of violence, and some of that fear is the responsibility of Hollywood. Who wouldn’t be afraid of us after watching Silence of the Lambs, or more recently, Pretty Little Liars?
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| Femmes and Follies show at The Honey Pot in Tampa, FL. |
Monika: Are you active in politics, and do you participate in any lobbying campaigns? Do you believe transgender women can make a difference in political advocacy?
Melody: I have worked with Equality Florida to speak to state Republican congresspeople about a proposed bathroom bill in Florida. That bill has been tabled, so I guess I would have to say that yes, we can make a difference.
Monika: How involved are you in your local LGBTQ community?
Melody: Yes, very much so. I work at an LGBTQ nightclub, photograph at Girls in Wonderland events during Gay Days, and march with different organizations during Orlando Pride. I have also sung with Orlando Gay Chorus, including at a vigil held after the Pulse Nightclub attack here this past June, and helped with additional fundraising efforts after Pulse. I guess you could say my name is known around town in those circles.
Monika: The transgender cause is often represented as part of the broader LGBTQ community. Do you think transgender people are able to advocate effectively for their own issues within that larger group?
Melody: It has been difficult, but we need to be known and speak to those who would forget about us within our community. I am very out partly because I want to be able to do that. I write a transgender opinion column in the local LGBTQ newspaper called Watermark in order to bring awareness to our issues. Most of the time the problem comes down to ignorance instead of malice.
Monika: Do you have an interest in fashion? How would you describe your usual style, or do you follow any specific trends or colors?
Melody: I have absolutely no interest in fashion.
Monika: What are your thoughts on transgender beauty pageants?
Melody: I spend no time thinking about them. I suppose anything that portrays us in a positive light and as attractive is a good thing, but I have no idea if transgender beauty pageants do that effectively.
Monika: How important is love in your life?
Melody: Love is very important and is the missing element so far. I am fortunate enough to have many friends who love me, but I do want to get married again someday. At the moment, I am single and have been for nearly four years. I hope to change that this year.
Monika: Many transgender women write memoirs. Have you ever thought about writing a book about your life?
Melody: Every trans person I know has been asked to write a memoir by their friends at some point. There just isn’t much of a market in it, so I haven’t had much interest. I would rather tell my story in my videos.
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| Melody Maia's Facebook. |
Monika: What advice would you give to transgender women who are afraid of starting their transition early or who fear discrimination and hatred?
Melody: Take time to build an effective support structure for yourself before you transition. You will face many challenges and it’s better not to go through them alone. Friends, other trans people, therapy, and medical expertise are all necessary components. If you can’t find those things where you live, if you are able, go to where you can find them. If not, use the Internet as your lifeline. This process is not for the faint of heart.
Monika: What are your next steps at this stage in your life, and where do you see yourself in the next five to seven years?
Melody: I’m trying to develop my channel into a larger platform to help with my transgender advocacy. I am also nurturing a music career that I hope will one day be a viable profession. My dream is to be able to combine these one day and do it full-time. I hope in 5-7 years that will be a reality.
Monika: My pen friend Gina Grahame once told me that we should not limit our potential based on how we were born or by what we see other trans people doing. She said our dreams should not end on an operating table, that’s where they begin. Do you agree?
Melody: Very much so, yes. I’ve been asked by many trans women after my surgery if I was now happy. The answer is not yet, but I have now given myself a shot at happiness that was not possible before. If all it took to be happy was to possess a vagina, all cisgender women would be happy. That isn’t the case. The race did not end on that operating table. It began and I now feel comfortable enough in my skin to run it to my greatest potential.
Monika: Melody, it has been an absolute pleasure to interview you. Thank you so much!
Melody: Thank you!
All the photos: courtesy of Melody Maia Monet.
© 2017 - Monika Kowalska
