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.

 

As an actress, one might expect her to carefully script her videos, but instead she chooses to speak from the heart, preferring honesty over performance. That decision has made her videos feel raw, real, and deeply human. Beyond her online presence, Michelle has also reflected thoughtfully on the challenges of visibility. Coming out as a transgender woman in the theatre world meant that she could never transition “in stealth.” Instead of shying away from that, she chose to embrace the public nature of her journey, documenting it openly so that her story could not be defined by others but by herself. In doing so, she has shown courage not only as an actress but as a woman committed to authenticity. In our conversation, Michelle speaks candidly about her inspirations, her dreams for the future, and the ways she hopes trans representation in media can grow. She admires figures like Janet Mock, while also imagining herself as a bold, leather-clad superhero smashing gender norms and fighting patriarchy on screen, something I can absolutely picture her pulling off. At the same time, she shares the more personal side of her journey: her hopes for love, her interest in one day becoming a mother, and her ongoing pursuit of creative projects like diaries, plays, and possibly even a book. 

 

This interview offers a chance to get to know Michelle not only as a YouTuber or an actress but as a young woman full of energy, ambition, humor, and heart. Her journey is still unfolding, but what shines through is her determination to live truthfully, create boldly, and inspire others along the way.

 

Monika: Today I am speaking with Michelle Raine, a Canadian video blogger who documents her transition on YouTube. Hello, Michelle!

Michelle: Hello Monika, I think what you are doing with these interviews is very inspiring and a fantastic idea for bridging the gaps between all of our personal stories. 

 

Michelle and her Mom.

 

Monika: Could you introduce yourself to our readers?

Michelle: I am an actress working on my bachelor of arts degree with a major in theater, in Nova Scotia, Canada. I also happen to be a transgender woman who is pretty early in her transition. I have been documenting moments in my transition on my YouTube channel.

Monika: What inspired you to start documenting your transition on YouTube?

Michelle: Well, honestly, my initial decision was simply because I am selfish. I am busy with my degree, shows, approaching a Summer with three productions that I am producing, and more... So I have not really been an active member of the transgender community. This was a way for me to communicate with other transgender folks, reach out for support and give moral support to those who need it.

Monika: Did you also find YouTube helpful for yourself during the early stages of your transition?

Michelle: At the beginning of my transition, even before, YouTube was an amazing source of information straight from women just like me! It was a great feeling to know that I wasn’t alone. Where most of the YouTubers seem to be in competition with each other, I think the transgender YouTubers are among the most supportive of up-and-coming newbies.
Monika: I imagine your YouTube followers reach out to you with many questions. What are some of the most common ones?

Michelle: Many people ask me how I knew I was transgender, how to get hormones, or other important questions that many transgender folks who are just coming out NEED to know. There is a severe lack of resources and information available to the public, something that I hope will change.

Monika: And on the other side of the spectrum, what has been the strangest question you’ve received?

Michelle: One of the strangest questions or "tips" that I was given around the time that I made my coming-out video was from a transgender woman who asked me if I was sure that I had dysphoria. She said that dysphoria is not something I should wish for and that I had better make sure with my therapist before moving forward medically. As a newly out person, I felt like people who I was supposed to have something in common with were policing how valid my personal circumstances were and ultimately discouraging me in the beginning phases of my transition. I have also been asked if I was still single and if I would give people my phone number.

 

Sunbathing Selfie.

 

Monika: When creating your videos, do you plan them out in advance with a script, or do you prefer to improvise?

Michelle: I tried writing scripts for a few of my videos and even though I'm an actress who attempts to bring words off pages and to tell truthful, honest stories, it is very difficult for me to do. I prefer to speak from the heart on my channel and I hope that people see that.

Monika: Where would you say you are right now in your transition?

Michelle: If we are talking about the stages of my physical transition, let's say still extremely early. If we are talking about the stage at which I am mentally in my transition, well, I am getting happier and happier while maintaining strong morals and values for myself. I experience less dysphoria now than I did last year and that is all that truly matters.

Monika: Are you happy with the changes that hormone therapy has brought you so far?

Michelle: I am truly, truly satisfied. I could pick apart a bunch of little things, but why bother. Hormones have changed my mind and body so much in a way that my soul is cozy more so now than it was before. If I was to pick one thing that I still want to change it would be facial hair. Unfortunately, I don't have the money for laser hair removal or electrolysis at the moment and it continues to be a very dysphoric part of my body.

Monika: Do you look up to any transgender role models for inspiration?

Michelle: A friend and ally of mine recently recommended that I listen to Janet Mock's autobiography. I've been busy the last few weeks but I've managed to listen up to chapter 11 somehow while doing my makeup and hair. She is an incredible woman and I strongly recommend checking out her book. As a kid though, I had no role models in the trans community, but I recently met a writer from the show Train 48, which was a Canadian television show on one of our local channels. This writer had written a character of a trans woman who I found completely amazing when I was a young teenager wishing to find someone else just like me to talk to. 

Monika: What was the biggest challenge for you when coming out?

Michelle: The most difficult thing was that I was going to have to do it so publicly. I have met many people and have a large extended family. That, and being an actress who would be in several shows for my honors assignment, people would see me in the stages of my transition. An actor doesn't get sick days and they don't get to hide from criticism. I knew that if it would be public anyway and there would be no possibility for me to ever be "stealth," I would at least document it through videos and blogs instead of having others make speculations about my experience.

 

Five Petal Rose Festival in Czesky Krumlov.

 

Monika: How would you describe the current situation of transgender women in Canada?

Michelle: In Canada, there are still many changes to be made. Canadians often believe that Canada is exempt from hateful ideologies and it is this ignorance that covers all of the problematic experiences that transgender folk share. We are so close to the United States and often I hear fellow Canadians say, and I am guilty of this as well: "at least we aren't American." But the truth is the US and their President Donald Trump have an insane impact on Canada.

Monika: How do you feel about the way transgender people are represented in media, whether in films, books, or television?

Michelle: I really enjoyed the book George by Alex Gino, of course, I've watched Jamie Clayton in Sense 8 and Laverne Cox in Orange Is the New Black, but I am hoping for a popularized concept like a television series to feature a bad-ass trans girl. *** To any film producers, Netflix... Wink wink: My dream role is a tough superhero chick in black leather with fuchsia color accents fighting crime with a strong emphasis on destroying gender norms and beating down the patriarchy.

Monika: Do you follow politics yourself, or take part in lobbying or activism? And in your view, can transgender women make a real difference in the political sphere?

Michelle: I do think so. Unfortunately, I was never a highly political person and I don't engage with enough activism. I was the Vice-Chairperson of a PRIDE committee a few years before I began my transition. Having to do activism with so much push-back on every angle was exhausting and I really respect those who can muscle through all of the nonsense that is thrown their way.

Monika: How engaged are you these days with your local LGBTQ community?

Michelle: I am really not anymore. The majority of my friends are cisgender. Some are gay, bi, lesbian, queer , and I don't think any of us would say we are in the LGBTQ community. We are really just a part of the theatre community, which is for the most part a welcoming and accepting community.

 

Funny Girl.

 

Monika: Since the transgender cause is often grouped under the larger LGBTQ umbrella, do you feel the trans community is able to promote its own goals and priorities within that space?

Michelle: Like I said, I went from being active as a Vice-Chairperson on a PRIDE committee to not being in the community at all. A part of this is because as I went to PRIDE one year I felt so dysphoric and felt like I had all of the privileges that I had within that community ripped away from me as I began my transition. I will probably get in big trouble for saying this, but the LGBTQ community is often a fairly misogynistic, patriarchal community and I couldn't be a permanent part of what they do. I do appreciate some of the things they do, but I just can't be around the problematic circumstances the community is currently in.

Monika: How would you describe your sense of fashion? Do you enjoy experimenting with styles, or do you prefer a more casual approach to clothing?

Michelle: Before I transitioned I had this big idea of how I would have the most fashionable clothing and I would always look 10 out of 10. Now I have slowly realized that I don't care much for shimorts and I only wear dresses on occasions. I'm a very jeans and t-shirt kind of girl and I'm okay with a pair of jean shorts and a bikini top in the summer. In Canada I think I would be called a "country girl" though I do live in a city... ha.

Monika: What are your thoughts on transgender beauty pageants? Would you ever consider joining one yourself?

Michelle: I wouldn't participate in one at this time in my life and I think I would rather focus my energy on more artistic endeavors... like a play about beauty pageants? I guess...

Monika: Let’s talk about something more personal. How important is love in your life?

Michelle: LOVE! Honesty! Loyalty! They are all synonymous to me. If you are honest and loyal to me chances are I will love you as a friend, family member, business partner, or significant other. I think it is so important to try to love yourselves, and the world around us.

Monika: Many transgender women eventually write memoirs to share their stories. Have you ever considered writing one yourself?

Michelle: Yes I have. I don't know how to write a book but I know how to write a mediocre play, ha. So currently I am working on a diary and a one-woman show. If that transforms into a book one day I would be very pleased.

Monika: What advice would you give to transgender women who are afraid of beginning their transition or worried about facing discrimination and hatred? 

Michelle: Set goals for yourself about the woman you want to become that are not focused on your outer exterior. I know, easier said than done. But it is true. If I wasn't working towards my degree, or the next performance, or the next script I write, or the next place I want to travel to, etc., then I don't think I could maintain my happiness throughout the past year and a half.

 

Strawberry Fairytale in Prague.

 

Monika: Besides setting personal goals, what mindset do you think is most important for staying strong during transition? 

Michelle: I would say be honest with yourself about who you are and who you want to be. You can be a beautiful woman and still have a pointless life. Do you want to be a female playwright? CEO of a company? A waiter at a diner? A singer? The possibilities are endless and there are NO GOOD REASONS NOT TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS!

Monika: Looking ahead, what are your immediate goals, and where do you envision yourself in the next five to seven years?

Michelle: Oh gosh. My next step is laser hair removal and then on to surgeries. I would love to find someone to share my life with and I have thought a lot recently about becoming a mother one day... but no due dates or marriage proposals thus far so I will just keep working hard... oh and if you are reading this Netflix: I am available for shooting before the 5 years is up. Wink.

Monika: Michelle, thank you so much for sharing your story with me. It has been a true pleasure talking with you.

Michelle: It was my pleasure! I really enjoy talking about myself, kidding... kind of. Thanks again for this experience, I feel ready to take on the world after answering your questions – Ellen Degeneres, here I come! Wink wink.

All the photos: courtesy of Michelle Raine.

© 2017 - Monika Kowalska

 

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