Interview with Ada Rozewicz

Dr. Ada Rozewicz is a family doctor from Ruda Śląska, who has gained recognition not only for her many years of work with patients but also for the courage with which she talks about her transgender identity. A medical professional by education, and a person devoted to helping others by calling. For many years, she worked as a doctor in a hospital and clinic, even before her transition. Today, she works for a network of clinics managed by her son, which includes specialty care, family medicine clinics, a rehabilitation center, and a dental center.

 

Her journey to living in harmony with herself was not easy. In adulthood, she struggled with depression and a lack of self-understanding, for a long time believing that the only path to happiness was living in a conventional, heterosexual relationship. For years, she tried to "live like a man," with a wife and a son, but her female identity was always present, quiet yet persistent. The breakthrough came in a car, on the road. A sudden realization that she was a woman brought her unexpected joy. As she herself says, it was the most accurate diagnosis of her life. However, she did not immediately decide on changes. She was happy with her life and did not want to disrupt it. Over time, though, the strength of her true identity became unstoppable. She began her transition when her son was already an adult, and her previous life began to crumble.

 

Despite these difficult changes, Dr. Ada did not face rejection, neither from her loved ones nor her patients. Her son supported her, emphasizing that the most important thing is for a parent to be happy. Her partner, with whom she spent many years, although they could not continue their relationship in its new form, remained her close friend and one of the most important people in Ada's life. Today, Dr. Rozewicz not only works as a doctor but is also a role model for transgender people. Her story shows that it is never too late to live in harmony with oneself, and that empathy, respect, and acceptance can accompany a person at any stage of life.

 

"I am happy now."
Photo: the Polityka weekly.

 

Monika: Hello, Ada! I'm so happy we can have this conversation. As transgender women, we share many experiences, but each of us has walked her own unique path. I'm really curious about your story, but before we dive into that, let's talk a bit about Ruda Śląska. Many people reading this interview have never been to Poland and will be reading our words in English, so let's start with the basics: what kind of city is Ruda Śląska? Are you from there, or did fate bring you there?

Ada: Hello, Monika! Ruda Śląska is a city with 150,000 inhabitants, located in the Silesian agglomeration, where over two million people live within a small area. It's a very specific place in southern Poland, highly industrialized and urbanized, but you'll be surprised to hear that it also has a lot of greenery. Medium-sized cities are adjacent to each other here, for example, buildings that share walls - one belongs to Ruda Śląska, the other to Zabrze. There are many such "shared" neighborhoods. From where I live, I’m about a 10-minute drive to the centers of several cities: Zabrze, where I studied at the Medical University; Gliwice, a large scientific hub and city full of students; Katowice, the regional capital and the center of the agglomeration; and Bytom, my hometown, which is older than Kraków.

Many people living in other countries have surely heard of Kraków, and just to mention, from where I live, I can drive to the center of Kraków in 40 to 50 minutes via the highway. If you find Kraków on the map, you’ll see that Silesia, where I live, is right next to it.

Monika: You travel a lot, and you’ve even visited Greenland! Do you have a favorite place in the world that you always love returning to?

Ada: I love the North, especially the Arctic. I would return to Svalbard many times. It's my Eden, where I recharge my batteries and rest.

Monika: I noticed that you also love cats, probably even more than I do! I have one, and you have three!

Ada: Well, it happened. Two Maine Coons and one Ragdoll girl. I had a couple, the third cat I call an unplanned surprise. They are my therapists, my stress relievers. 

Monika: Was your childhood a happy one? Did you grow up with siblings, or were you an only child with a head full of dreams and your own little world?

Ada: There’s a big age gap between me and my brother, so I do have a sibling, but I think there’s a lot of only-child energy in me.

 

"Cats are my therapists, my stress relievers."
Photo: the Dziennik Zachodni daily.

 

Monika: What was your relationship with your parents like?

Ada: I had a happy childhood. My dad may have never told me he loved me, but I always knew it without words. I always felt I could count on his support.

Monika: You met your wife when you were just 17. Was it love at first sight?

Ada: No, it wasn’t quite like that. I was 18 and Maggie was a year younger. Hmm, was it love at first sight? I don’t know, I was very shy and didn’t know how to express my feelings. So the question arises: “Was it friendship or love?” In any case, Maggie was very important to me from the very beginning. I didn’t understand myself back then, but I had an intense fear of being alone, of never meeting anyone, and so on. 

Monika: In one of your interviews, you mentioned that you used to dream of having a home, a family, children, a dog and a cat, in other words, the classic, almost textbook version of life. Were those the dreams that pushed you toward getting married?

Ada: Yes, that’s exactly how it was.

Monika: Medical school, marriage, the birth of your son… everything seemed to follow the textbook image of a model family. Were there moments when you wondered whether you finally wanted to be yourself, or did your sense of duty toward your son always take precedence?

Ada: I went through many crises, I was treated for depression, and I had suicidal thoughts. I was deceiving myself, constantly battling with myself. Interestingly, I only made peace with who I was when my son turned 18. Even though I was still functioning in a different, unfamiliar role and in an unfamiliar body, I felt happiness deep inside knowing that I was a woman within.

Monika: Did your wife never suspect that you were a woman?

Ada: When I stopped fighting with myself, at first, I subconsciously signaled to everyone, "I am a woman." It didn’t take more than six weeks when one night my wife asked me if I wanted to be a woman. We talked all night, and she accepted me. That was probably the best time in our relationship. Unfortunately, my dysphoria grew stronger, I was changing, and I was signaling more and more clearly to those around me who I was. I was changing. It became too much for Maggie.

 

"I went through many crises, I was treated for
depression, and I had suicidal thoughts."

 

Monika: I have friends whose wives stayed with them after their transition. Do you hold any resentment toward your wife for not being able to live with you, or do you understand that she wanted to be in a relationship with a man?

Ada: I absolutely don't have any resentment. Maggie is heterosexual; she wanted a partner, not a woman.

Monika: Do you still stay in touch with her?

Ada: Yes, we spend a lot of time together, meeting on different occasions. I kind of treat her like a "sister."

Monika: Your most important coming out was the conversation with your son. He was the first to bring up the topic of a doctor, a cousin's acquaintance from London, who had transitioned. She had previously lived as a man, also a doctor. When your son returned to Poland, he was the one who initiated the conversation. That must have been an emotional moment for you. Did you have the chance to meet with this doctor and talk to someone who had gone through a similar journey?

Ada: My son specifically flew to London to talk about me with my cousin, who is a psychiatrist. She was the acquaintance you mentioned. I don't know her personally, but in Poland, I know a woman who is one of the best aesthetic dentists in the country. She had a wife and children and went through a similar journey to mine. My son has always supported me. He told me that it doesn't matter who I am, what's important is that I am happy.

Monika: As a doctor, you probably had easier access to knowledge, so perhaps you were able to diagnose your own transgender identity more quickly. Do you remember when you first encountered this concept? Did you see something about it on television, or did you read about it in medical literature?

Ada: Hmm, I’m not young, and back then there was no internet. As a teenager, I found a book at home about puberty and sex. I read it secretly, and now I’m sure my parents had left it there for me. The only concept I came across at that time was transvestism; there was no talk about transgender identity. I also denied the truth about myself for a long time.

 

"I love the North, especially the Arctic.
I would return to Svalbard many times."

 

Monika: I remember the time right after my transition, it was pure euphoria. My closet is still full of dresses and shoes that I literally bought by the dozens back then, and I must have tried on hundreds. I felt like I had to make up for all those years that were taken from me. Did you feel the same way?

Ada: I definitely made up for the lost teenage years. Once my aunt asked me, “So how many dresses do you have at home, a dozen?” I answered, “Twelve dozen.” Nowadays, I have far fewer in my closet, I value quality, style, and especially comfort.

END OF PART 1

PART 2

 

All photos: courtesy of Ada Rozewicz. Main photo: the Replika monthly.

© 2025 - Monika Kowalska

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