Galen is a woman of quiet strength, fierce intellect, and deep reflection. At 29, she began the tender and transformative journey of transitioning, stepping into her truth with both courage and thoughtfulness. Through her writing on Trans Substantiation, a beautifully curated space where philosophy meets lived experience, Galen offers readers more than just personal reflections. She invites them into meaningful conversations about identity, embodiment, and the intricacies of gender. Her early transition years were marked by hesitation and internal struggle, a pattern many in the trans community will recognize: the cycle of coming out, retreating, and reckoning with the pain of repression.
But once she stepped fully into herself, with the support of her loving wife, she found not only affirmation but a sense of home in her own body and mind. Beyond the screen, Galen is a mother, a partner, a cyclist, and a thinker. Whether she’s writing about gender theory, laughing with her son Kellan before bedtime, or pedaling with the Trans National Women’s Cycling Team, her life is a testament to authenticity and love in action. She’s not chasing conventional beauty or fame, only honesty, clarity, and the quiet joy of being understood. In this conversation, Galen shares her journey with disarming honesty, balancing political insight with personal warmth. Her story reminds us that while transition may be one chapter, it is not the whole book, and that the most profound transformations often begin in the quiet bravery of self-acceptance.
Monika: Today, I’m speaking with Galen, a transgender woman who runs the website Trans Substantiation, where she explores trans issues, philosophy, and personal reflections on transition. She has also shared her transition journey on Reddit under the username asthepenguinflies. Welcome, Galen!
Galen: Hello Monika! I’m really glad to be here and to have the chance to share some of my thoughts and experiences with you.
Monika: To start, could you introduce yourself to our readers?
Galen: In short, I’m a 29-year-old trans woman. I originally came out at 17, before promptly going back into the closet and resuming the binge/purge, depression/repression cycle that a lot of trans folks are familiar with. I finally came out to my wife and began taking steps toward transition in late December 2015. I write extensively about various trans-related topics on my website, Trans Substantiation, which began as a personal blog to help me process things. It has since evolved into a space where I try to engage people in deeper conversations about gender and the philosophical issues surrounding it.
Monika: What inspired you to share your transition journey on Reddit?
Galen: Reddit was very useful for me early in my transition. When I was too scared to go out dressed the way I wanted, it served as a way to interact with other trans people and learn from them. r/transtimelines, in particular, was inspirational because it helped show me that it wasn’t too late for me to transition and be consistently read as female. So, after a year of medical transition, I felt it was important to give back to the community that had helped me, in the hope that my own story might support others in some way.
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| Galen and her son Kellan, right before bedtime. |
Monika: At this point in your journey, where would you say you are in your transition?
Galen: I’ve been medically transitioning for over a year. I have been full-time for about 7 months. I’m largely just living my life these days.
Monika: How do you feel about the effects of hormone therapy so far?
Galen: I started to transition at age 29, so I knew going into things that I was unlikely to get the same results as a lot of younger girls get. As a result, I have been pleasantly surprised by the changes I have experienced.
My goal has never been to be “pretty” per se; my primary goal in medically transitioning was to feel at home in my body and be read as female by others. I feel like HRT has helped with those things a lot. However, I’d be lying if I said I don’t occasionally kick myself for not pushing harder and starting medical transition when I first came out at age 17.
Monika: Have any transgender public figures had a meaningful impact on you or inspired your journey?
Galen: Oh, the usual. I’m a big fan of Against Me! and Laura Jane Grace. I also follow Jen Richards and Laverne Cox. I read a lot of Julia Serano’s work as well.
I tend to skew toward the more political, philosophical, intellectual side of things and don’t have much interest in following trans people who seem most concerned with fashion, etc., it’s just not my thing. Chances are if they’re on YouTube or Tumblr, I have no clue who they are, and have little interest in finding out.
Monika: What was the most challenging part of coming out for you?
Galen: Honestly, the hardest part has been overcoming my own fears. Everything else has been relatively easy. Once I decided that any person who had a problem with my being trans wasn’t worth my time, it got a lot easier.
Monika: How do you view the current social and political climate for transgender women in the United States?
Galen: The United States is definitely ahead of the curve on trans issues in multiple regards, but we’re behind in others. I think trans people are largely being used as a red herring to distract people from more pressing issues in their lives. Certain politicians turn us into “boogeymen” in an attempt to distract their constituents from the fact that they aren’t doing anything.
Monika: What’s your take on how transgender characters and stories are represented in the media today?
Galen: I think we’re improving a lot as a society, particularly when trans people are involved in the creation and telling of the stories. If we’re going to make progress, more trans people need to be involved in the creation and telling of stories involving trans characters.
Monika: Are you involved in activism or political work? Do you think trans women can help shape the future of politics?
Galen: I am less active than I’d like to be. A lot of my focus has been on writing about the philosophical and political issues surrounding the trans community. This has left me with less time to devote to direct action sorts of work.
I do think trans people in general, not just trans women, need to get more involved in running for political office. The women’s rights movement as a whole has made great strides as more and more women have gotten involved in the political process. Trans people would do well to pursue similar strategies and build coalitions with other oppressed groups to ensure our voices are heard.
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| Galen and her new cyclocross bike. |
Monika: Do you feel connected to your local LGBTQ community? Are you involved in any events or support networks?
Galen: I occasionally attend local trans support groups, and actually used to facilitate one. I’m also a club member of the Trans National Women’s Cycling Team, an all-trans women’s national cycling team.
I’d like to be more involved in the local LGBTQ community, but don’t honestly feel all that welcome in LGB spaces and groups, in part because I’m trans, and in part because I’m married and have a child. I tend to have different ideas of “fun things to do” than a lot of the people my age in the community. I haven’t been to a club in a decade and have zero interest in going to one, whether LGBTQ-oriented or not. I’d rather hang out with friends at the park, or have friends over for dinner, drinks, and board games.
Monika: The “T” in LGBTQ is often grouped with the broader queer community. Do you feel that transgender voices and issues get the attention they deserve within that acronym?
Galen: I think so. I think there are very strong reasons for the LGBTQ community being considered and represented as a whole. For one thing, there’s some crossover in the constituent groups. I am both trans and a lesbian. I have a direct, personal interest in the entire community making strides.
I hope that some of the more short-sighted members of the community, who might see trans issues as “holding back” the community as a whole, will come to understand how much we all have in common and why we are natural allies in the face of societal oppression that impacts all gender and sexual minorities. When one of the groups makes strides, the rest benefit.
Monika: How would you describe your relationship with fashion? Do you have a personal style or favorite look?
Galen: I enjoy fashion, but would not consider myself a fashionista by any means. I prefer a nice pair of jeans, a band or pop culture shirt, and a hoodie. Basically, the same things I wore before transition, but with a tighter fit and different cut. I tend to aim at a “post-punk” vibe. I have also added in a variety of simple skirts and dresses that I like to wear every now and then, maybe once or twice a week. I’m big on shoes, but not dress shoes. I wear Chuck Taylors every day. In fact, I do not currently own any dress shoes.
Monika: What are your thoughts on transgender beauty pageants? Do you think they play a positive role in visibility or reinforce outdated norms?
Galen: I’m not a huge fan of beauty pageants in general. I think they reinforce unhealthy messages about what women should look like and the value that women have in society. In the trans context, pageants often push those same unhealthy messages along with the idea that trans women ought to conform to cisnormative definitions of beauty. This idea can be incredibly discouraging for trans women who are transitioning later in life.
Monika: What role has love played in your life, especially during your transition?
Galen: I have been lucky in that I have had incredibly supportive friends and family. My wife has been particularly important to me. She supported me before, and during the transition, and she continues to support me now that most of the “big” things in my transition have been accomplished. Her love and support have gotten me through some hard times, and I’m proud to say we’re now closer than ever.
Also, my son was born this last year, and getting to be his “momma” has been life-changing. I live for his smiles, no matter how I’m feeling about myself or my transition, his laugh and smile are a constant reminder of how lucky I have been in life.
Monika: Many trans women eventually write memoirs to document their journeys. Have you ever considered writing one yourself?
Galen: I’m not currently planning on writing a memoir. I’m much more focused on writing about the philosophical and theoretical issues surrounding gender. And as of now, I do all of that on my website.
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| Galen with her wife and son out and about. |
Monika: What advice would you offer to transgender women who are fearful of transitioning, or worried about facing discrimination and hatred?
Galen: Wow, that’s a big one.
Transition is a thing that should be pursued at your own pace. The only person who knows what you need is you. A good counselor or therapist (research whether they are well-versed in trans issues first!) is incredibly helpful in scaffolding the process of figuring out what you need. Ultimately, the biggest thing is to try, if at all possible, to surround yourself with supportive people and other people dealing with similar issues.
As far as discrimination goes, if you’re at risk of violence or discrimination in your current location, see if you can’t move to a more accepting one. Make sure you know your rights and get connected with local advocacy groups. There is power in numbers. Draw on your support network.
Monika: What are your current goals, and how do you envision your life evolving over the next five to seven years?
Galen: I’m just enjoying my life these days. While I don’t think of my transition as “over” per se, it’s not a thing that I devote a lot of time and energy to. I’m much more preoccupied with enjoying my life than I am with planning for the future. I hope to continue to write and contribute to conversations around trans issues and philosophy in whatever way I can, even if only a few people ever read it.
Monika: One of my pen friends, Gina Grahame, once told me we shouldn’t let our origins, or what others in the trans community are doing, limit our potential. She said, “Our dreams should not end on an operating table; that’s where they begin.” Does that resonate with you?
Galen: I agree with the first part, our circumstances at birth should not limit where we go in life. And I agree that people should find their own path and not limit themselves to what other trans people think is appropriate, etc. However, I don’t agree that a trans person’s dreams start on an operating table.
Surgery and medical transition as a whole is an intensely personal decision, and one can have and pursue their dreams with or without those interventions. Feeling at home in your gender and body is the ultimate goal of transition, and what that looks like is up to the individual. Ultimately, our gender constitutes a very small (though important) portion of who we are as people. So, one should never see the transition as either the start or end of their dreams, it’s just another landmark on the road to self-actualization.
Monika: Galen, it was a real pleasure to speak with you. Thank you for sharing your story!
Galen: Thank you! It was fun!
All the photos: courtesy of Galen.
© 2017 - Monika Kowalska
