Interview with Maria Tymoshenko

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Maria Tymoshenko, a Ukrainian composer and piano player that documents her transition in front of thousands on YouTube. Hello Maria!

Maria: Hello, Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Maria: I am a composer and sound designer. I like contemporary art and sometimes participate in different art projects as a musician and as a model. As a hobby, I like roofing. My last clip was shot on the highest bridge in Ukraine. I climbed to it without safety gear. Last year I participated in LGBTQ and human rights activism actions. 

Monika: Why did you decide to share your transition details on YouTube?

Maria: When I launched my YouTube channel, I never wrote that I am transgender. Even record labels and movie producers with which I worked did not know about this part of my life. I did not hide, but no one asked me and I did not say.

Interview with Solange Dekker

Solange Dekker, a Dutch fashion model, hairstylist, and beauty pageant contestant, made history as one of the first transgender women to compete in a mainstream Dutch beauty pageant. Born and raised in a small village near ’s-Hertogenbosch, she grew up in a conservative environment where being different was difficult. From an early age, Solange felt that the gender assigned to her at birth did not reflect who she truly was, but with little information about transgender people and few role models, she struggled to understand her identity. At sixteen, Solange came out as a transgender woman and began her transition. Her family struggled to accept her, and she was eventually forced to leave home. Facing homelessness, financial hardship, and discrimination while looking for work, she had to build an independent life largely on her own. She found her way into hairdressing, developed friendships that became a source of support, and gradually gained the confidence to embrace her identity. Her experiences strengthened her determination to speak openly about the challenges faced by transgender people and to encourage others to believe in themselves.

 

In 2019, Solange represented the Netherlands at Miss Trans Star International in Barcelona. Competing for the first time, she reached the Top 10 and received the special title of Miss Evolution, recognising her personal growth and dedication throughout the competition. The experience introduced her to a community of transgender women from around the world and inspired her to pursue further opportunities in modelling and pageantry. She also became the first transgender woman to compete in Miss Beauty of Noord-Holland, a mainstream Dutch beauty pageant. For Solange, beauty pageants are about much more than appearance. She believes that contestants should use the visibility and influence they gain to help others and raise awareness. Through her participation, she hopes to challenge stereotypes, promote acceptance, and show that transgender women belong on the same stages as other women. Her message is one of self-belief, resilience, and the importance of being true to oneself.

Interview with Anna Skinner

Anna Skinner is a New Zealand trans woman whose journey towards living authentically is a story of courage, self-discovery, and the importance of embracing one's true identity. Born and raised in Auckland, she has called Christchurch home for more than two decades. A passionate outdoor enthusiast and cyclist, Anna has always found adventure in nature to be an important part of her life, helping her cope with the emotional challenges she faced before and during her transition. She is also a proud mother of three children, whom she describes as her greatest gift. Although Anna had dreamed of living as her authentic self from a young age, it took many years before she found the courage and circumstances to make that dream a reality. She first told her future wife about her gender identity in 1999, but it was not until 2014 that she officially came out as a transgender woman. Her decision brought significant changes to her family life, and she eventually parted ways with her wife in 2013. Despite the difficulties, Anna is immensely proud of how her children accepted her transition. She made a conscious effort to help them understand what being transgender meant, explaining her experiences in simple terms and sharing parts of her psychological assessment with them.

 

In 2016, Anna's story reached a wider audience through Same but Different, a short documentary produced as part of New Zealand's Loading Docs series. The film explored her friendship with Neil, her mountaineering companion of 25 years, and their first wilderness adventure together after her coming out. Anna had been particularly anxious about telling Neil, fearing that the friendship they had built over decades of shared outdoor experiences might not survive. The documentary gave her considerable confidence and helped her recognise the power of her own voice. Her experience at work was also largely positive, although not without challenges. While employed by KiwiRail, she encountered an insensitive remark from a colleague, but chose to seek an apology rather than pursue formal disciplinary action. Her subsequent employment within the local district health board further demonstrated that she could be accepted and valued for her abilities. Anna has also begun documenting her own life in a memoir titled Confessions of a Window Dressers Son, a personal project that pays tribute to her father, a talented and creative window dresser in the 1960s. Through the book, she hopes to leave her three children a written account of her childhood, her experiences with gender dysphoria, and the journey that eventually allowed her to embrace life as a woman.

Interview with Rachel Reese

Rachel Reese is a British transgender activist, solicitor and diversity and inclusion specialist. She began her career as an avionics software engineer at GEC Avionics before moving into human resources and studying law. She qualified as a solicitor in the 1990s and spent around 15 years at the College of Law, eventually becoming Production Director and an operational board director. Reese has spoken publicly about transitioning in the 1990s and experiencing discrimination while seeking legal employment. After initially returning to male expression, she later came out as transgender at the College of Law and transitioned with the organisation’s support. She subsequently obtained a Gender Recognition Certificate and a new birth certificate.

 

In 2015, Reese founded Global Butterflies, a consultancy specialising in transgender and non-binary inclusion in the workplace. She has advised organisations in the legal, financial and insurance sectors, provided training and developed workplace-transition policies and guidance. With Emma Cusdin, she co-authored A Guide to Trans and Non-binary Inclusion for Lloyd’s of London in 2019. Reese has also held prominent roles within the legal and LGBTQ+ sectors. By 2020 she was Vice-Chair of the Law Society’s LGBT Lawyers Division Committee, a trans and non-binary ambassador for Aspiring Solicitors, a trustee of GiveOut, and a judge for the People in Law Awards. Through GiveOut and Global Butterflies, she supported transgender and non-binary rights in Britain and internationally. A frequent speaker and writer on transgender equality, Reese has advocated reform of the UK Gender Recognition Act, including self-declaration of legal gender and recognition of non-binary identities.

Interview with Michelle Relayze

 

Born in Lima, Peru, Michelle Relayze is a fashion model, television personality and transgender activist whose career has taken her from Latin America to Europe. She began modelling at the age of 16, while studying fashion design, and soon found herself working in the industry. Modelling provided her with a means of supporting herself and financing her education. Before moving to Europe, she also worked as a model in Latin America and gained experience in television and event production. Her childhood and adolescence were not without difficulties. Growing up in a conservative environment, Michelle had to navigate the expectations imposed on her while trying to understand and express her identity. She has spoken about the importance of her mother's support, which helped her through a challenging period. She began her gender transition at a young age and underwent gender-affirming surgery at 18. Her personal experiences eventually inspired her to speak openly about the discrimination faced by transgender women and the importance of having opportunities to study, work and build independent lives. At 16, Michelle was encouraged by her classmates to take part in a fashion show, an experience that opened the door to modelling opportunities. She subsequently worked in Latin America, including Peru, and took part in beauty competitions. At one such competition in Peru, she became first runner-up and received three additional distinctions: Miss Best Smile, Miss Photogenic and Miss Best Body. She also represented Peru at the Miss Ocean Club pageant in Uruguay, competing alongside cisgender women without disclosing her transgender history.

 

Her professional journey eventually brought her to Europe. After spending time in Italy, where she continued working as a model, she settled in Barcelona, Spain. There, she developed a career combining fashion, hospitality, entertainment and event production. She worked at the emblematic Axel Hotel Barcelona, initially in hospitality and later in marketing and creative event production, helping organise shows and provide opportunities for emerging artists, drag performers and singers. She also collaborated with the LGBT organisation Stop Sida, offering her image and voice to promote awareness and visibility. A major turning point came in 2019, when she was crowned Miss Trans Spain, earning the opportunity to represent Spain at the Miss Trans Star International in Barcelona. Preparing for the international competition involved months of intensive work, including catwalk training, rehearsals, speech preparation and choosing her outfits. She attracted considerable support from Spanish designers, beauty professionals and sponsors. Although the competition was a demanding experience, it also allowed her to establish friendships with contestants from other countries, including Alejandra Tristán from the United States, Hilary Davila from Switzerland and Danielly Drugge from Sweden. For Michelle, winning the national title and publicly sharing her story gave her a much larger platform from which to advocate for transgender women. Her journey is a reminder that a crown can be much more than a symbol of beauty: it can also become a platform for visibility, professional recognition and social change.

Interview with Diane Keinanen

Diane Keinanen is an American transgender woman from Minnesota, a registered nurse (RN) and Vascular Access Specialist with 28 years of professional experience in Duluth. Alongside her nursing career, she is an artistic and creative soul who enjoys working with stained glass and woodworking, finding serenity in creating things that bring happiness to others. A woman of many talents, Diane also describes herself as a fashionista on a budget, with a passion for fashion, colourful outfits and discovering treasures in thrift and consignment shops. After spending much of her life fulfilling the expectations placed upon her by society, Diane began her transition later in life, following the end of a marriage that had lasted more than 30 years. Coming out was an extremely difficult experience, and the fear of hurting and disappointing those closest to her became overwhelming. On February 9, 2019, she attempted suicide, believing at the time that there was no other way forward. The experience became a turning point in her life. With the help of a gender therapist and the support of her family, friends and colleagues, she gradually began discovering herself. Her children welcomed her with love and acceptance, while her coworkers supported her transition at the hospital, where she became the first long-term employee to transition in the workplace.

 

Diane began hormone replacement therapy in April 2018, and celebrated her first anniversary of HRT in April 2019. She describes the experience of becoming herself with the excitement of a child on Christmas morning, grateful for the opportunity to finally live the life she had dreamed of. Determined to make the most of her new beginning, she embraced a healthier lifestyle, giving up alcohol, exercising regularly and taking greater care of her physical and emotional well-being. She also began documenting her transition on Facebook, sharing photographs and personal reflections in the hope of inspiring other transgender women, just as the stories of women she encountered on social media had inspired her. An important part of Diane's life is the friendship and solidarity she has found with three transgender women from the Twin Ports area. Sharing similar life experiences, they have become close friends who understand and support one another. She is also involved in the local transgender community through Trans Plus, a support group in Duluth that meets twice a month and participates in the city's annual Pride celebrations. Her own journey has taught her that everyone's path is different, but that life is too short not to live authentically. Today, she is finally enjoying the freedom of being Diane and looking forward to a happy and fulfilling life.

Interview with Dina Jacobs

 

Dina Jacobs is a Hawaiian-born transgender showgirl, singer, female impersonator and legendary drag performer whose career has spanned more than six decades. Known as Houston’s Grande Dame of Drag, she has performed across the United States, appeared at the legendary Baton Show Lounge in Chicago and accumulated an impressive collection of beauty pageant titles. Her extraordinary life and career are chronicled in the 2020 biography Forever Her Mother's Son: The Dina Jacobs Story, written by Dr. Larry Dwayne Ponder. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Dina began her entertainment career in February 1964, while still in high school. Her first professional engagement came at a Waikiki club called The Clouds, where she initially worked as an emcee and singer. Unlike many performers of the era, she sang live, accompanied by musicians, rather than relying on lip-syncing. In 1970, she left Hawaii to pursue opportunities on the American mainland, performing in California before continuing her journey through Minneapolis and Chicago. In Chicago, Dina joined the celebrated Baton Show Lounge, where her vocal abilities made her stand out among the performers. She subsequently worked in Atlanta and travelled extensively, entertaining audiences throughout the United States, Canada and South America, including a memorable six-month engagement in Brazil. Her career also took her to Florida and Texas, where she eventually settled in Houston.

 

Alongside her performing career, Dina became a celebrated beauty pageant competitor, participating in more than 80 competitions and winning approximately 70 titles. Among her achievements were Miss Gay USA in 1981 and Miss Universal Showqueen in 1990. She continued competing even in her seventies, demonstrating that her passion for the stage had never diminished. Dina began her gender transition at the age of 30, having spent years performing and living within the drag community. Her journey also involved overcoming the discrimination and hostility experienced by transgender women and gender-nonconforming performers during the 1960s and 1970s. In Hawaii, performers were sometimes required by police to wear badges identifying them as boys when walking in public dressed as women. Dina also became involved in supporting the LGBTQ community, participating in fundraising events for HIV/AIDS and cancer charities and supporting organisations such as AID Atlanta during its early development. In 2025, her remarkable contribution to Houston's entertainment scene received further recognition when the Houston Press named her Best Drag Performer in its Best of Houston awards.