Interview with Tessa Fisher

Today, I’m thrilled to introduce a truly stellar guest, pun intended! Joining me is Tessa Fisher, an American Ph.D. student, astrobiologist, blogger, and self-proclaimed “alien hunter.” She’s also a passionate science communicator and aspiring science fiction writer whose work merges the cosmic with the deeply personal. Tessa is, by her own humorous admission, “perhaps the world’s only queer trans astrobiologist”, though she’s recently discovered she’s not the only one after all (the galaxy is, after all, a big place!). With a brain wired for both mathematics and imagination, Tessa uses graph theory to help detect potential signs of life on distant exoplanets, yes, real alien worlds! But beyond her academic brilliance lies a personal story just as compelling: her journey as a transgender woman navigating transition, love, identity, and representation in the scientific world.

 

She’s someone who’s not only looking to the stars for answers, but also helping to redefine what a scientist looks like here on Earth. In this interview, we talk about everything from the Fermi Paradox and the possibility of intelligent civilizations, to Tessa’s favorite sci-fi authors, her experience with hormone therapy, and the importance of having a supportive partner. We also touch on the challenges and triumphs of coming out, the visibility of trans women in STEM, and why Tessa thinks she’s “too busy living science fiction to write about it.” So grab your telescope, or at least a cup of tea, and join me as we dive into Tessa’s universe, where queerness meets quantum theory, and courage is as infinite as the cosmos.

Interview with Hailey

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Hailey, a young aspiring creative writer, student, and transgender woman that documents her transition on Reddit.com as the_forsaken_queen. Hello Hailey!

Hailey: Heya!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Hailey: Honestly, it’s hard to answer since I’m still discovering myself every day! I feel a little overwhelmed since I’m being interviewed alongside so many inspirational women that are a lot further along in their transitions and more experienced than me in general.

I lived the first 16 or so years of my life without direction or purpose and felt like a detached spectator of the world rather than someone with an actual identity. It was only recently that I figured out why and took the first step towards becoming the person I truly am.

Interview with Lyra

In the vast world of YouTube, where makeup tutorials meet life advice and courage often hides behind a camera lens, some voices shine through with raw honesty and unapologetic light. Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with ButterfLyra, known offline simply as Lyra, a radiant 20-year-old American video blogger who documents her transition journey with grace, humor, and a healthy dose of floral accessories. Lyra’s channel isn’t just a diary of hormones, hairstyles, or headbands, it’s a lifeline for countless viewers navigating their own identities.

 

From voice feminization tips to the deeper, scarier questions of dysphoria and self-discovery, her videos offer what the best kind of art does: recognition, reassurance, and resistance. In our conversation, Lyra opens up about the joys and trials of transition, the complexity of visibility in a society still catching up, and the power of a supportive boyfriend, a fabulous wardrobe, and a well-timed Laverne Cox sighting. Her story is not only one of personal transformation, but of giving back to the very community that helped her blossom. Let’s dive into her world, bright, bold, boho, and most importantly, free from fear.

Interview with Emma Shinn

In today’s interview, we meet a woman whose life story reads like a blueprint for courage, transformation, and service. Emma Shinn is not only a retired officer of the United States Marine Corps, a distinction that carries its own weight, but also an award-winning criminal defense attorney based in Denver, Colorado. To add yet another layer, she’s a transgender woman who has chosen to walk her truth with integrity and visibility, documenting her transition journey on Reddit under the username ScoutSeven. But Emma is more than the sum of these impressive titles. She’s a fighter in every sense of the word: in the courtroom, where she defends both Colorado citizens and U.S. service members worldwide; in the legislative sphere, where she’s testified in support of transgender rights; and in her personal life, where she continues to advocate for acceptance and understanding through activism, mentorship, and online outreach. As a board member of the Colorado LGBT Bar Association, Emma plays a central role in shaping the legal landscape for LGBTQ individuals across the state. Her work doesn’t stop at the courthouse steps, she co-founded the Colorado Name Change Project, offering vital assistance to those seeking to legally affirm their gender identity. She’s also deeply engaged with community organizations like the Gender Identity Center and the GLBT Community Center of Colorado, constantly working to bridge the gap between law, policy, and lived experience.

Interview with Diana García

If you’ve ever felt that being a programmer, a podcast co-host, a Reddit chronicler, a board game designer, and a trans advocate might be too much for one human to handle, meet Diana García, the delightful exception to that rule. Diana is a 32-year-old transgender woman originally from Tijuana, now thriving in Mexico City, where she balances her professional life as a computer programmer with her passions for gaming, geek culture, and community storytelling. Known online as aprilight, Diana has become a recognizable presence on Reddit’s trans forums, where she documents her transition journey with sincerity, wit, and a generous helping of nerdy charm. Whether she’s sharing the ups and downs of her voice surgery in South Korea, explaining the joy of being misgendered less and less, or fielding curious comparisons to celebrities like Mayim Bialik and Bárbara Mori, Diana does so with a voice that is unmistakably her own, literally and figuratively. I first came across Diana while browsing Reddit’s trans community, where her posts stood out like rare gems: articulate, open-hearted, and peppered with the kind of humor that makes you want to be her friend. She talks about things many of us struggle to name, what it feels like to come out late, the unspoken emotional effects of hormones, the awkward grace of finding your fashion sense in real time, and that overwhelming question: “Do I dare to transition?” 

Interview with Anna Kouroupou

When it comes to courage, resilience, and unapologetic authenticity, few names in Greece shine as brightly as that of Anna Kouroupou. A writer, blogger, and tireless advocate for transgender rights, Anna has long been a voice for those who often have none. Her 2011 autobiographical book, Γιατί δεν έχω σαν το δικό σου, μαμά (“Why I Don’t Have One Like Yours, Mom”), is more than just a life story, it is a bold, intimate portrait of a woman who has navigated the treacherous waters of prejudice, love, survival, and self-acceptance. For decades, Anna has stood at the intersection of activism and lived experience, offering guidance, support, and inspiration to countless transgender women in Greece. While she modestly resists the label of “activist” in the classical sense, her influence is undeniable. Many in the Greek trans community regard her as a symbol of endurance, a woman who has weathered storms both personal and political, and emerged with her integrity, and her sharp wit, intact. Her life has been shaped by Greece’s evolving social and political climate, from the hostile ignorance of the 1980s to today’s more visible, though still imperfect, recognition of transgender identities. She has witnessed, and been part of, significant changes in public attitudes, the rise of organized trans advocacy, and the ongoing fight for respect and equality.

Interview with Lauren Foster

Lauren’s story begins in the warm light of Durban, South Africa, a place where the ocean meets the sky, and where a young girl, born with the XXY pattern of Klinefelter’s syndrome, dared to dream in full color. While so many transgender journeys begin with heartbreak, Lauren’s began with a rare and priceless gift: the unconditional love of her parents. They stood beside her as she stepped into her truth, supporting her hormone therapy as a teenager and her gender-confirming surgery at just eighteen. From there, her metamorphosis was not hidden in shadows but unfurled in dazzling daylight. She emerged like a butterfly in mid-flight, moving through the fashion capitals of the world, Paris, Milan, New York, her face gracing the covers and pages of international magazines, her presence turning runways into theatre. Mexico City gave her one of her most treasured moments: the day VOGUE requested her, the day she held that glossy issue in her hands and wept with the quiet joy of a dream realized, a triumph she could not yet share in full.

 

But beauty often draws both admiration and intrusion. When a tabloid journalist sought to expose her past, Lauren chose courage over fear, stepping forward to tell her own story. The headlines screamed in cruel type, “REVEALED: VOGUE MODEL WAS A MAN!”, but Lauren’s spirit was not undone. She pivoted, reinvented, and rose again, her life now a kaleidoscope of reinvention: model, actress, party promoter, activist. She danced in the glow of Studio 54, laughed in the wild company of rockstars and icons, including Holly Woodlawn. Today, Lauren’s radiance is matched by her purpose. Through her activism and her sheer presence, she remains a living testament to elegance, resilience, and unapologetic authenticity. It is with deep admiration, and the honor of calling her not only an icon but a friend, that I welcome Lauren Foster to our conversation today.