Interview with Charlie Craggs

If the transgender community had a fairy godmother with a perfectly manicured middle finger to transphobia, it would be Charlie Craggs. Activist, author, actress, and all-around badass, Charlie has spent the last decade proving that a fresh set of nails can do more than just make you look cute, as they can change minds, spark conversations, and fight bigotry one manicure at a time.

 

She started "Nail Transphobia" not just to spread awareness, but to give people the chance to meet a trans person in the most disarming way possible, while getting their nails done. Because let’s be real, it’s hard to hold onto prejudice when someone’s making your cuticles look fabulous.

 

But Charlie didn't stop at nail polish diplomacy. She rallied for a trans pride flag emoji (because let’s face it, we deserved better than copy-pasting the rainbow and a T). She wrote To My Trans Sisters, a book filled with wisdom from successful trans women. And when she wasn’t educating the masses, she was breaking into the world of sci-fi, becoming a Doctor Who companion because, of course, the trans agenda includes taking over time and space. 

 

Monika: From the BBC to the beauty salon, from fighting for trans rights to fighting Daleks (well, in podcast form), Charlie Craggs is proof that you can change the world with charm, wit, and a perfectly filed stiletto nail. Hello Charlie! Welcome to my blog!

Charlie: Hey Monika, thank you for asking me and for doing what you do, it’s so important.

"We need to be louder and
more political than ever."

Monika: Charlie, I spent way too long trying to figure out how to start this interview, so long, in fact, that I had enough time to overthink my nail color while getting them done at the salon. As I sat there, paralyzed by indecision, my nail tech casually dropped a 2025 trend bomb: Plum nails are the new red. So, obviously, I had to go for it.

Now, you’re the queen of using nails to make a statement, so tell me, what’s on your manicure agenda for 2025? Any iconic nail plans we should all be following? Or are you about to start another revolution, one fresh set at a time?

Charlie: The plot twist is my nails currently look like they’ve been scratching rocks partly because I’ve been renovating my house so pretty much have been scratching rocks, but also because shockingly I don’t actually care too much about nails, Nail Transphobia was all about conversation, the nails were just a catalyst for that conversation to happen.

Monika: It’s been 12 years since Nail Transphobia proved that a good manicure could do more than just slay, as it could break down ignorance one polished nail at a time. Yet, like a bad gel set that won’t budge, transphobia still lingers. If you were to launch a new campaign today, just as powerful and conversation-starting, what would it be? Blend Transphobia with free makeup tutorials? Brow Beat Bigotry with eyebrow shaping? Or maybe Exfoliate Ignorance because some people’s outdated views need a serious scrub?

Charlie: Monika never mind me, YOU should be the one starting the next campaign, they’re all amazing ideas, ahahah.

Monika: When you look at what's happening in the US with all the anti-trans rhetoric and policies, what are your thoughts? Do you think it's only a matter of time before that stuff starts creeping over here?

Charlie: Of course, which is why I’ve been extra vocal lately, as well as ideology creeping this way, we also have Elon Musk creeping this way, offering to donate 80 MILLION pounds to the Reform UK political party, a party that isn’t just notoriously anti-trans but anti-anything-that-isnt-cis-het-and-white. Their party gained a lot of traction in last year’s election so it scares me to think of the traction they’d gain with an 80 million pound donation and the consequences that would have on our community. We need to be louder and more political than ever to ensure that doesn’t happen.

Monika: Looking back 15 years and comparing it to where we are now, how would you define the situation of transgender women in the UK? Is it better, worse, or are we still stuck in that weird middle ground where progress is happening but so is a whole lot of nonsense? 

Charlie: It feels so much worse. When I first transitioned back then we were nothing but a joke. The only time you’d see us in the media would be when we were the butt of a joke in a film or sitcom or on Jerry Springer. It’s insane to have watched the same media who painted us a joke to laugh at, now paint us as a threat to be scared of. Truly one of the most impressive pr campaigns in history.

 

"When I first transitioned back
then we were nothing but a joke."

 

Monika: I took a deep dive into your Instagram, and what struck me most is your authenticity. You serve full glamour one moment, then hit us with the kind of everyday, unfiltered realness most people wouldn’t dare to post. It’s a mix of flawless and fearless, but was that always easy for you? Did you ever feel pressure to curate a “perfect” image, or was keeping it real always part of the plan?

Charlie: That’s really kind, but I think it’s just something that comes with time, like at the start of my transition I’d be so hyper-focused on my appearance and how I came across, I was so unsure of myself, whereas now I’m completely sure of myself and secure in who I am as a person and as a trans woman that I do not feel the need to perform for other people’s gaze. If I’m consumed with thinking about how I look or sound I’m not gonna be concentrating on what I’m actually saying, and with what’s at stake right now, I have bigger problems than if my hair is a mess or I sound like a man when I’m ranting on the internet, because the message of the rant is what’s important and what needs to be heard, not the cunty-ness of my voice.

Monika: As a public figure, you get invited to all sorts of fabulous events where looking anything less than drop-dead gorgeous is simply not an option. Where do you get your style inspiration? Do you meticulously plan your looks, have a secret Pinterest board, or just wake up and let the fashion gods decide? And be honest, have you ever had a full-blown outfit crisis five minutes before leaving the house?

Charlie: Babe, I have a full-blown outfit crisis AT THE EVENT half the time. I posted on Instagram how I went to the Wicked premiere looking glam, fell down the stairs, and broke my heel before the film even started, and had to leave barefoot. Again I’m really not that bothered about being glamorous these days, I’m known for wearing slogan t-shirts that I make myself to these events, it’s the message that’s important to me. 

Monika: Many of us build lives as wives, mothers, and daughters, leaving the past behind and just being. But you chose a different path, one where you’re not only visible but loud and proud, fighting for trans rights and reshaping how society sees us. Have you ever felt the temptation to step back, to just exist as a woman rather than a trans woman? Or is advocacy something that’s simply in your DNA, like a perfectly executed winged eyeliner? 

Charlie: I think it’s a mix because I definitely have fire in my heart to want to fight for my community but I also think part of the reason I’m like this is that I don’t have a choice to blend in really, I get clocked constantly, mostly for my voice, I don’t have the luxury to just blend in, so if I’m gonna stand out I might as well REALLY stand out.

"When I transitioned I decided
I didn't want to be a victim anymore."

Monika: Transition can be a brutal journey, ridicule, rejection, and enough drama to fill a very dark Netflix series. But you tackled it differently, using humor, sometimes straight out of Monty Python, to tell your story. Was that your secret weapon, a self-defense mechanism to survive the madness, or was it always intentional or your way of saying, if I’m going through hell, I might as well make it hilarious?

Charlie: When I transitioned I decided I didn't want to be a victim anymore and started clapping back at people, online and in real life, something I’d never done before. I’ve become well known on social media for my clapbacks now and they’ve helped me to process the insane amount of hate I get. When someone sends me an abusive comment on Instagram it doesn’t hurt if I’m able to send them back a sassy response putting them in their place, screenshot it, and post it for my thousands of followers to laugh at, further embarrassing the person and also paying my bills with the engagement. It’s my way of reclaiming the hate, turning it into something good. It’s my best advice to trans people because people are gonna be mean to us, we can’t control that, but we can control how we respond.

Monika: I read that when you were struggling with gender dysphoria, seeing Nadia Almada win Big Brother in 2004 was a lightbulb moment, it showed you that transitioning was possible. Have you ever had the chance to meet Nadia in person?

Charlie: I haven't met her (yet) BUT SHE FOLLOWS ME and she’d told me I remind her of a young her, and that’s hand on heart one of the best compliments I’ve ever been given.

Monika: I personally hate being clocked, it’s like I’m instantly in a pressure cooker. But you’ve got a wholly different approach: when people try to clock you, you just hit them with the fact that you're one of the most well-known trans women in the UK as if it's no big deal. Then you casually drop a list of your awards and achievements. Do you ever get a kick out of it, or does it sometimes feel more like a "blessing and a curse" than you let on?

Charlie: I obviously hate being clocked, or any negative attention online or in person, but like I said I can't control that, and it’s gonna happen, what I can control is my response and I feel like the baddest bitch in the world when someone tries to shame me for being trans and I let them know I am not ashamed of being trans. People can only shame you about something you’re ashamed of, so let them know you love being trans and aren’t trying to hide it.

 

"I am not ashamed of being trans."

 

Monika: In one of your interviews, you mentioned that your mom wasn’t just accepting but actually encouraging and empowering you to fully embrace who you are. That’s pretty amazing! Was there a particular moment when you realized just how much her support shaped your journey, or was it something that always felt like a natural part of your relationship?

Charlie: I realise it every single day. She’s all that matters in my life. I’m so lucky.

Monika: if you could go back in time and tell your younger self one thing about being a transgender woman, what would it be?

Charlie: Hurry up and get on hormone blockers before your voice breaks bitch.

Monika: Finally, what’s next for Charlie? What dreams and goals are you working toward now?

Charlie: I’m about to start my podcast On My Cream Sofa: shitty dating stories with Charlie Craggs, inspired by my viral reel where a guy I hooked up with left *a mark* on my cream sofa. I’ll be getting my celeb mates to come to sit down on my cream sofa and tell me their shittiest dating stories, and there’ll be a segment where you can send in your own shitty dating stories if you have one (we all do) ladies.

Monika: And there you have it! Charlie Craggs, proving once again that you can change the world with a sense of humor, a perfectly filed stiletto, and a whole lot of heart. Thank you, Charlie, for sharing your story and your thoughts today. You’ve shown us all that activism can be glamorous, bold, and, let’s be real, so much fun. I can’t wait to see what’s next for you, and I have no doubt you’ll continue to pave the way for future generations of trans women to shine even brighter. Keep slaying, queen!

Charlie: I’m so grateful, thank you for keeping our community’s history alive, Monika, what you do is so important.

All the photos: courtesy of Charlie Craggs.

© 2025 - Monika Kowalska