Interview with Christina Vegas

Monika: Christina Vegas is my lovely guest today. Christina is an American singer and multi-vocal impersonator and has traveled the globe performing her variety show. She’s been a featured headliner on international cruise ships, casino showrooms, corporate events and USO tours of Bosnia and Kosovo, where she performed her one-person show for both the US and UN Peace Keeping Forces. She is the author of "Transformative Surgeries: What to Expect at Each Surgical Stage of your Transgender Journey" (2023). Hello Christina! 

Christina: Hi Monika! Thank you for reaching out.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Christina: I’m a middle-aged trans woman currently living in Canada. I’m a writer, performer, and producer, and I have two amazing daughters.

Monika: When did you decide to become a professional singer?

Christina: I’ve always loved singing. I was in a band when I was 16 and went on to study musical theatre in college. I’ve been a professional singer since then but I also write and produce film and theatre projects.

Monika: Film and theatre projects? Let’s promote them a little…

Christina: That would be awesome! Well, I just launched my trans talk called, Key Change: A Trans Journey from ‘Divo’ to 'Diva' based on the material from my trans musical - currently in development. It’s an educational and entertaining speaking presentation about the process of transitioning and living as a trans woman in today’s world. You can access more information on my website and the current promotional video is available on YouTube. I will be updating the video often but any new promo will be available on my website.

In terms of movie projects, a film I wrote and co-produced will be in theatres this March and on streaming platforms in April. It’s entitled, ‘She Came Back’ - a psychological thriller starring Colm Feorre (Umbrella Academy) and Amybeth McNulty (Anne with an E) and directed by Megan Follows (Reign). We actually finished shooting the film before COVID - yes, it’s been that long! The process can be arduous and exhausting… and sometimes just plain old hell. lol

You know when you hear people talk about how making a film can be a nightmare?... This was one of those experiences. It's a long story for another day but I am excited it’s finally being released. I had just started transitioning when we were in production (my early days on hormones) so I was going through my own personal psychological drama… It was a challenging time.

My promo video on You Tube.

Monika: Do you remember your first time on stage?

Christina: Yes! I played Sky Masterson in the musical ‘Guys and Dolls’ in High School. My girlfriend at the time was auditioning so I did too. I didn’t expect to get one of the leading roles but I did and was hooked… I was, as they say, bitten by the showbiz bug. lol

Monika: What inspired you to perform a variety show?

Christina: In early 2001, I was working for ‘Legends in Concert’ out of Las Vegas in a Blues Brothers tribute act - I played the Dan Aykroyd part. We traveled the world doing the show but one night when we were in Vegas, I went to see an entertainer named Danny Gans. He was doing a multi-impersonation variety show at the Mirage Casino and almost every voice/character he did, I could do too. It was an epiphany of sorts. At that point, I’d had enough of the Blues Brothers show and I was looking for a change. I spent the next year developing and writing the show and then hit the ground running.

Monika: Who helps you with the variety of outfits during the shows?

Christina: There aren’t a lot of costume changes during the show. I mostly accessorize. I have a table onstage where I put wigs, props, glasses, etc.. It’s compact and self-contained which allows me to easily travel with everything on my own. That show is really all about the vocals.

Monika: You performed your one-person show for both the US and UN Peacekeeping Forces. It must have been challenging. Are soldiers demanding viewers?

Christina: Monika, that was one of the most amazing trips of my life. The soldiers were incredible. I was headlining the show and had a comedian opening up. We performed twelve shows in two-weeks for a wide variety of audience sizes - 700 troops in large camps but in some remote posts, we literally performed for 15 soldiers in a portable - like the portables sometimes used at high schools and colleges. The soldiers were grateful we had traveled so far to entertain them. As you can imagine, some of the remote areas are quite isolated and not a lot of entertainment options. It was an incredibly rewarding experience. It was extremely challenging having to witness the devastating effect war had on the people and the country.

"I started creating a trans talk two years
ago detailing the process of transitioning
and living as a trans woman."

Monika: When can we see you performing live this year?

Christina: So much happening in 2024. I started creating a trans talk two years ago detailing the process of transitioning and living as a trans woman. Trans education is crucial and having a presentation that entertains and educates will hopefully go a long way to help normalize and demystify the trans experience. I’m just finalizing the promotional materials but I’ll be performing the talk locally this month. I’m hoping to present the talk throughout the world and Europe is definitely on the list of destinations.

I was also just cast in the musical, ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ which is touring next summer here in Canada. I landed the role of Bernadette - the trans character in the show. I’m told it’ll be the first time a trans woman will be playing the leading trans role in any Priscilla show in North America. I’m really looking forward to that experience. I haven't been in a big musical in a long time.

Monika: In the movie, Bernadette’s high-heeled shoes were filled by macho British actor, Terence Stamp. So I guess your interpretation of the role will be totally different…

Christina: Definitely. My interpretation of the character will be more along the lines of what the author originally envisioned - a strong, feminine trans woman from a high-end Paris drag club navigating the desert. It’s a great show with amazing music. When I was asked to audition, I felt like it was mine to lose. I don’t think it was over-confidence just because they asked me. The character is very close to who I really am. In many ways, I just have to go onstage and be me… with an Australian accent of course… lol

Monika: We all pay the highest price for the fulfillment of our dreams to be ourselves. As a result, we lose our families, friends, jobs, and social positions. Did you pay such a high price as well? What was the hardest thing about your coming out?

Christina: I think the hardest thing for me was the unknown - not knowing what would happen when I did come out. It felt like it would blow up my life and I had no idea how people would react or who would be supportive. That’s probably one of the reasons it took me so long to come out. I loved my family and didn’t want to lose them. But, as you say, we all pay a price when we transition. I lost a few of my very close friends and a small portion of my extended family. My wife and I ended up separating but we remained very close. I’m grateful to still be very close with my daughters.

Monika: Why did you choose Christina for your name?

Christina: I think I always knew it was going to be Christina. It’s very close to my previous name and I thought I wanted the short form to be the same… Ironically, I don’t like being called Chris anymore…

I know a lot of trans women who didn’t want a name even remotely similar to their previous one but I’m very happy with my choice.

Monika: Was your family surprised by your transition?

Christina: I think coming out to your family is one of the hardest parts of transitioning. And there's no mistaking how hard transition is on those around you. My family was surprised and shocked because there was no obvious indication. I was very good at pretending to be male. We all get very good at hiding, don’t we?

"I just launched my trans talk called, Key Change: A Trans Journey
from ‘Divo’ to 'Diva' based on the material from my trans musical."

Monika: Yes, we do! Are you satisfied with the effects of the hormone treatment?

Christina: Yes! I’ve been on hormones for four years and my body has taken well to the treatment. Of course, I’ve had a few surgeries which helped a lot but the combination has created a body I’m very happy with.

Monika: You look like a million dollars so probably this question is not relevant for you. We are said to be prisoners of passing or non-passing syndrome. Although cosmetic surgeries help to overcome it, we will always be judged accordingly. How can we cope with this? Can we find the answer to this in your book?

Christina: Thank you but passing is such a personal, subjective thing. How can we cope? Well, that’s the million-dollar question… It often does feel like we are prisoners of passing because for the most part, we are. I always feel like I have to hyper-feminize to pass. I’m 6’ tall so I naturally stand out and have no way of completely blending in. I do get noticed and when anyone looks, I need to read female at first glance. For me, cosmetic surgery was always the plan. As an actress, I’m competing with cisgender women for roles in my industry everyday so I’m constantly dealing with the need to pass.

In terms of the actual surgeries, yes, there are answers in my book. But we all have different perspectives on what helps us to be confident, cope and feel like we pass. My book will tell you exactly what each surgery was like. I’ve had a number of procedures in the last two and a half years - some specific to feminization and some not. But all of them had an impact on my feminine look. I explain what was done for each surgery and how long it took to recover, but most importantly, which ones had the biggest impact on my feminine look and dysphoria.

I wanted to give girls a succinct firsthand look into the nuts and bolts of each procedure and their effect. After you read it, you should have a good idea which surgeries you’ll want to take a closer look at. The book also includes some before and after images. I think it’s important to actually show the impact some surgeries have on your body. It’s hard, painful and not always pretty but soooo worth it.

Monika: For me, FFS was a life-changing operation that allowed me to tackle my gender dysphoria. I am just curious about your own experiences. When we contemplate facial feminization surgery we always face two options: to undergo extremely deep changes to be feminine and beautiful or light changes to be feminine but preserve something from our character. Is there any third option?

Christina: FFS was a game-changer for me, too. I went to Spain for my first FFS. I remember the discussion I had with the surgeon about what my outcome goals were. He told me they attempt to create a face that would align with the person’s familial look. The idea is to look like you were born into the same family but as a girl.

Available via Amazon.

FFS is such an individual thing and there are many factors that come into play. Your financial situation, where you live in relation to the surgeon, how much time you can take off work, etc.. I think if you’re going to go under the knife, you may as well really go for it. Make your changes significant. Chances are, you’ll want to see change and subtle changes may not be enough. Having said that, you’d be surprised what a small change can do to your look.

I recently had a lip lift procedure and the feminization it made to my face (one already having significant changes made to it) was probably one of the most impactful procedures I’ve had… It’s also a building process where each procedure gets you that much closer to where you want to be.

Monika: The increase in the number of FFS surgeons is evident, and so are the high costs of such surgeries. Surgeons usually post fantastic before and after photos, and some of us are likely to fall prey to them. How can we avoid it?

Christina: First of all, understand that the images posted by the surgeons are all best-case results. There are many factors determining the outcome - your age, health, overall lifestyle, etc,. You have to be your own visual monitor and try to be objective and self-aware. You need to be hopeful going in but also be realistic. Testosterone does a lot of damage to our bodies during puberty. There may be some attributes not easily changed - at least in a dramatic way. It likely won’t be a best or worst-case scenario but somewhere in between. Your feminine look will improve to some degree with surgery. Our bodies react and heal differently but if you’re going to a surgeon with some kind of trans-surgical experience, your look will improve.

Side note: I don’t suggest paying an artist to digitally recreate your post-surgery look based on what procedures you’re considering. One of the surgeons I was considering suggested I go this route so I paid 300 pounds to have a mock-up of what I would look like post surgery… I remember hating the images and praying I’d look better. If I showed you those images, you’d be shocked. I think I look way better than what was projected by the artist. Do your research and choose the surgeon you feel most comfortable with. By the way, I didn’t go with that surgeon.

END OF PART 1

PART 2

 

All photos: courtesy of Christina Vegas.

© 2024 - Monika Kowalska