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?”
What struck me most about Diana is her mix of realism and hope. She doesn’t sugarcoat the harder parts of being trans in Mexico, but she also doesn’t let those challenges define her. She celebrates small victories, like being gendered correctly on the phone, or finally feeling comfortable enough to ditch jeans and t-shirts in favor of a more expressive wardrobe. She doesn’t claim to be a role model, and yet she quietly becomes one just by showing up and sharing her story. In this interview, Diana and I talk about the decision to document your transition publicly, the terrifying silence of post-surgery recovery, the geeky joy of designing games, the power of trans visibility in media, and the importance of love in all its forms. We also get real about the limitations of mainstream trans narratives and why “transition” shouldn’t be the finish line but just one part of the journey. So whether you're here as a fellow trans person looking for relatable experiences, an ally trying to understand more deeply, or just someone who loves a good story told by a smart, funny, slightly board-game-obsessed woman, this one’s for you. Let’s dive in.
Monika: Hello, Diana! Welcome to The Heroines. It’s such a pleasure to have you here.
Diana: Hi Monika, I was surprised at first to learn that you wanted to interview me, but I’m very happy to be able to share my story with others. Thank you for this opportunity.
Monika: Let’s start with a brief introduction. How would you describe yourself to someone meeting you for the first time?
Diana: Certainly! I am a 32-year-old trans woman originally from Tijuana, Mexico, but now living in Mexico City. I’m a computer programmer who works from home. I am very interested in games and fun, so I have also dabbled in creating video games, and the latest side project I’m developing is a board game.
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| At a drag club. I got made up by the owner. |
Monika: What inspired you to start sharing your transition journey publicly on Reddit?
Diana: For the longest time, I couldn’t find people with whom I could identify, I just didn’t see myself in the transgender representation in the media at the time. When I found Reddit's trans spaces, I finally found other stories like mine, not just a few, but many, many amazing stories with which I could relate. I shared my transition because I wanted to give back to that community, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t start doing it for validation as well. Over time, it also became a space where I could reflect on my own growth.
Monika: What are the most common questions people ask you on Reddit?
Diana: They mostly ask about my voice surgery at the Yeson Voice Center in Seoul, South Korea. I get some comments about me smiling more and looking younger after the transition. It’s always touching to see how genuinely curious and supportive people can be.
Monika: Voice surgery is often considered one of the most complex and delicate procedures in a gender transition. What led you to pursue it, and how did you decide where to go?
Diana: I felt very safe with the surgery after researching for a while. Yeson Voice Center felt like the best bet, at least according to Reddit. The reason I felt the need to have this done was that I noticed I wasn't participating in groups because I felt very self-conscious about my voice. I felt like I wasn't my true self in those situations, and the best way to make myself more comfortable was to have the surgery. It was a decision I came to slowly, but once I made it, I felt committed and hopeful.
Monika: What was the recovery process like, and how did you cope with the challenges that came afterward?
Diana: The hardest part of the whole ordeal was the start of the recovery, having to be completely silent for one month after surgery. The last week was the hardest. I documented this month of silence in Spanish, which helped me process the experience and connect with others going through something similar. It was frustrating at times, but I knew it was worth it.
Monika: And how do you feel about the results today?
Diana: I didn't know what to expect from the results, I figured anything was better than the voice I had. The changes were fairly evident from the start, but even after almost two years, it's still improving. I got excited when I first started being correctly gendered on the phone, and I’ve been misgendered less and less, so I’m really happy with the outcome. Even though I wasn’t the best at staying disciplined with the exercises and didn’t see a voice coach as the clinic recommended, I still consider it one of the most affirming decisions I’ve made.
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| A way into boardgame and bad memes. |
Monika: Over time, you’ve probably received a wide range of comments and questions online. Has there been one that stood out as especially strange or unexpected?
Diana: I don’t get particularly strange questions, but people keep telling me I look like other women, though it’s always a different woman! And I never see the similarities. The ones I remember getting are Mayim Bialik and Bárbara Mori. It always makes me laugh a little, even if I don’t see the resemblance myself.
Monika: How would you describe the stage of your transition that you’re in right now?
Diana: Well, I’ve come out, am now three and a half years into hormones, changed my papers, had voice surgery, and completed laser hair removal. I wouldn’t say I’ve finished transitioning, but I don’t feel in transition anymore. I might do other surgeries later, but I’m quite happy with where I am now. It’s a good feeling to finally feel settled in my identity.
Monika: Has hormone therapy met your expectations, both physically and emotionally?
Diana: Definitely. The important thing is that the physical changes I’ve gotten from them have helped me gain much more confidence in my identity. I also pretty much enjoy the emotional changes. But don’t get me wrong, I wish I would have gotten more chest development. Still, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.
Monika: Were there any transgender figures, public or personal, who influenced you or helped you along the way?
Diana: When I first started, I looked up to Ophelia Pastrana, I knew her as a YouTuber and fellow geek my age. Julia Serano also helped me tremendously via her books. Lately, I love what visible trans media personalities have done for our community, like Laverne Cox, Jen Richards, Janet Mock, and Angelica Ross. I also follow and look up to Morgan M. Page and the Transition Transmission podcasts. Seeing others live their truth so openly has made my own journey feel less isolating.
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| Tired after a long day at Six Flags. |
Monika: Coming out is a deeply personal experience for every trans person. What would you say was the most difficult part of your coming-out journey?
Diana: Not doing it for so long. I came out at 28 years old, and I wanted to say something for years, but I felt scared that people would reject me after knowing about this. My coming out was a fairly positive experience, so in that sense, I would say the hardest part was keeping it bottled up all those years and not having the vocabulary and terminology to correctly communicate how I felt. Looking back, I wish I had felt safe enough to open up sooner.
Monika: How would you describe the current social and legal landscape for transgender women in Mexico?
Diana: It varies a lot from place to place and from woman to woman. I’m happy to say that since 2014, it has been very easy to legally change your name and gender on your birth certificate in Mexico City. I am very privileged in that I live in a very LGBTQ-friendly part of Mexico City, that the great majority of people close to me were supportive of my transition, and that I haven’t had any major issues when people find out I’m a trans woman, but unfortunately, that is not the case for way too many trans women here in Mexico. It is still scary to be a trans woman, as hate crimes towards us still happen. I know that my experience is not universal, and there is still a long way to go before equality becomes a reality across the country.
Monika: In recent years, transgender representation in the media has slowly been increasing. How do you feel about the way trans stories and characters are portrayed in films, television, and literature today?
Diana: I’ve been seeing a slow, gradual change for the better. We still get many of the tiresome trans stereotypes, but people now have more exposure to diverse and real transgender stories through shows like True Trans and I Am Jazz, as well as better trans characters like Nomi in Sense8, or even trans actors in non-strictly trans roles like Laverne Cox in Doubt. It’s refreshing to see more variety in how our lives are represented.
Monika: Have these portrayals affected how people around you understand your experience?
Diana: Society is coming to terms with trans stories, and even if the portrayals aren't perfect, they’ve given me an excuse to talk about my transition with people I might not have had the chance to otherwise. The more representation there is, the more opportunities I get to talk about trans issues. Having those points of reference can help break the ice and lead to more meaningful conversations.
Monika: Are there any trans-made media projects or creators that you personally connect with?
Diana: I'm also extremely happy about art by and for trans people, like upandoutcomic.tumblr and whatsnormalanyway.net. I think I would've felt way better about those confusing feelings if I had come across these kinds of trans images when I was younger, and I hope they’re making a difference for trans youth today. Seeing our stories told in our own voices is incredibly validating.
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| Groom's people at a friend's wedding. |
Monika: Do you believe trans people have a place in shaping political discourse? What role do you think transgender women can play in politics and advocacy?
Diana: Everyone can make a difference in politics. Trans people have a unique view on life in society, so we can offer a different perspective. The more we participate, the more inclusive and representative politics can become.
END OF PART 1
All photos: courtesy of Diana García.
© 2017 - Monika Kowalska
