Anna Grodzka is a woman whose life is a testament to courage, perseverance, and the pursuit of authenticity. Born on March 16, 1954, in Otwock, she struggled from an early age with the limitations of a world that tried to confine her to definitions imposed by others, embarking on a brave journey in search of her own identity. Anna was adopted by Józef and Kazimiera, who offered her love and support, and many years later, she also met her biological mother. Only when her son reached adulthood, at the age of 54, did Anna decide to undergo legal gender correction and modifying surgeries in Bangkok, a journey documented in Sławomir Grinberg’s HBO documentary Trans-akcja. This step demonstrated to the world not only Anna’s determination, but also her deep sensitivity and the strength of living her truth.
A turning point in her public life came with her election to the 7th term of the Sejm (the lower house of the Polish parliament) in 2011, making her the first publicly transgender person in Poland to win a parliamentary seat. In the Sejm, she served as deputy chair of the Palikot Movement parliamentary club. She founded and led the Parliamentary Team “Fair Society,” was vice-chair of the Committee on Culture and Media, a member of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights, and part of the Parliamentary Women’s Group. As one of the founders of the Trans-Fuzja Foundation, which advocates for transgender people, she was actively involved in its projects. In addition, she participated in the work of the Public Media Journalism Foundation and the nationwide Women’s Congress. As a member of parliament, she was recognized by Polityka magazine, which in its ranking awarded her the title of “Best MP of the 7th term of the Sejm.” Her social activism demonstrates that courage, authenticity, and daily efforts to make the world a better place truly bear fruit.
Anna shared her story in the autobiographical book My Name is Ania, full of sensitivity and honesty, in which she allows readers to understand her choices and feel the strength that comes from being true to one’s own identity. Her life inspires new generations, showing that femininity, strength, and authenticity have no single definition, and that everyone can find their own path in a world full of challenges. Today, we talk about her choices, triumphs, challenges, and moments that continue to inspire all women, especially those seeking the courage to fully be themselves.
Monika: Do you miss politics, or is it more like coffee without milk, once you try it, and that’s enough?
Anna: I would like to have some influence over everything that matters to people, for society. For many years, I have been observing politics and the processes that govern social life and the life of every individual. It is my passion. And I’ll tell you, I don’t miss politics, because I’ve been practicing it for twenty years. I have been and still am active in several social organizations and publish my columns in the media. That is the kind of politics I engage in. But I do not miss the parliament at all.
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| "I would like to have some influence over everything that matters to people, for society." |
In 2011, I decided to run for parliament (the Sejm of the Republic of Poland) because it was part of my mission connected to the goals of the Trans-Fuzja Foundation, which advocates for transgender people, and which I co-founded and led at that time. My intention in becoming a member of parliament was to show people that transgender individuals exist (because back then this was obvious to very few Poles) and should have the right to live just like anyone else. During my term, I helped create, among other initiatives, the Gender Reassignment Act, which guaranteed many rights to transgender people. The Sejm even passed this Act, but it was vetoed by President Andrzej Duda. Despite this, I considered my mission accomplished and did not run for the next parliamentary term.
I did as much as I could for transgender people, and then I decided it was time for my own life, a life as an ordinary woman. I also did not run again because I realized that I am not suited for politics, which is full of dirt and hypocrisy, and where MPs often fight only for their own position and interests, rather than for public matters. This kind of sick democracy is a system I have always opposed politically, and continue to oppose, outside of parliament.
Monika: In 2011, you became a member of the Polish parliament. I remember it like it was yesterday, I was living with my mom in Chicago when she came into my room and said that you had just been elected in Kraków. I couldn’t believe it. Did you feel at the time that you had broken an invisible ceiling that had been holding back transgender women in Poland?
Anna: In the first few weeks, I was completely overwhelmed, I wasn’t thinking about it, but later, what you’re talking about really hit me. At that time, I still believed that my work in parliament could bring results, so I threw myself into parliamentary work. It wasn’t easy, because in addition to that work, I had to (and wanted to) “manage” the intense interest in me and in transgender issues from both Polish and international media, after all, that was precisely how my trans mission was being carried out.
Monika: Few people realized the significance of your success in the parliamentary elections. It was a global achievement, you became the third transgender parliamentarian after women like Georgina Beyer (1999–2005) in New Zealand and Vladimir Luxuria (2006–2008) in Italy. Even in democratic countries like Germany or the Netherlands, transgender women were elected to parliament only a decade later. Do you think the uniqueness of your success has penetrated public awareness?
Anna: Yes. I don’t want to pretend that my actions had no impact on what happened later regarding transgender people. After the initial efforts of us pioneers to break through public awareness, an avalanche followed.
Monika: Suddenly, you became very popular. You appeared on magazine covers and were invited on television. How did you handle all of that, especially when untrue things were written about you or when people tried to ridicule your transgender identity?
Anna: Yes, exactly. I was talking about “pioneers.” Someone once told me that pioneers are distinguished from their successors by the fact that “they find arrows in their backs.” Well!? You had to pull those arrows out. I decided that in response to aggression, I would always show calm, seriousness, and a reasoned approach. It wasn’t always easy for me, but it was effective.
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| Anna's biography. |
Monika: While preparing for our interview, I came across opinions from several transgender women who expressed disappointment that, although we had the first transgender member of parliament, it didn’t lead to significant changes in the legal or medical situation of transgender people in Poland. I had similar reflections in my conversation with Nyke Slawik, a transgender MP from Germany. We talked about the great hopes but also the difficulties of getting our issues heard in politics, since we make up only a small percentage of voters. I also feel that tension between expectations and reality. What are your thoughts when you think about that?
Anna: I feel the same way. I try to urge myself to be patient, yet I feel anger. However, I understand that good, socially positive political changes usually follow changes in society. Without strong social pressure, there are no meaningful changes. Take my experience in the Sejm, for example… Despite considerable activity and hard work, I didn’t manage to achieve anything substantial in terms of legislation. But I hope that the activist aspect of my work and my media presence had an impact on positive changes in public awareness regarding transgender people.
Monika: The undeniable fruit of your social activism is the Trans-Fuzja Foundation. Do you remember its beginnings? At that time, what was the biggest challenge, funding, the small number of activists, or legal barriers?
Anna: We didn’t really notice any legal barriers affecting the foundation’s operations, or maybe we just “didn’t care about them.” The group of activists was actually quite large. And money…? That was a problem, because there was almost none. Our activities were mostly carried out through the power of our unpaid work.
Initially, we couldn’t afford to provide support for people in transition, nor to organize professional legal or psychological assistance for them. We therefore focused on organizing support groups for transgender people and their loved ones, which were growing in popularity, as well as conducting workshops and seminars for medical professionals, police, businesses, public officials, and others interested in the topic.
We also launched a much-needed and effective collaboration with other LGBT organizations, mainly the Campaign Against Homophobia Association (KPH) and Lambda Warsaw. They helped us effectively carry out our mission. Later, we left the direct management of the foundation to the next generation. Funding appeared, mostly from foreign sources, but I don’t get the impression that the foundation’s activities increased significantly as a result.
Monika: What would you consider the greatest success of Trans-Fuzja, and what issues still remain unresolved for the foundation?
Anna: We are an expert center when it comes to transgender issues. To the extent of our capabilities and resources, we help, but we still need to fight even harder for equality under the law. After all, there are no proper legal regulations, no adequate state support for transition, or assistance in combating prejudice, and there is a continuing need to expand the space of social acceptance.
Monika: Being an activist for transgender people requires a great deal of dedication. Being the face of an entire community certainly affects your private life. Have you ever felt like dropping it all and just living like any other woman, without all the ‘trans’ prefixes and similar labels?
Anna: I transitioned late, after turning fifty. My dream was to live the rest of my life as an ordinary woman. But I got involved in activism, and as it later turned out, also in politics. The publicity made me a recognizable person, but unfortunately not a “well-known woman,” rather a “well-known trans woman.” That has been a burden for me. Now I bear the cost of my political activity. Since leaving parliament, I have refused interviews with the media, especially the “big” outlets, yet tabloids still chase after a story and write nonsense, often using my unflattering photos. Fortunately, my “recognizability” is slowly fading. Now I live a rather normal life.
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| "I did as much as I could for transgender people." |
Anna: My adoptive mother and father have been dead for many years. My biological mother, unfortunately, passed away last year. But their names were not actually those. When I was writing my book, at a time when I was under media scrutiny, I changed all the names of my family. I wanted to protect them from media aggression.
My biological mother was Alina, and my adoptive mother was indeed Kazimiera. When I was a child, I confided my emotions to my adoptive parents. But remember, this was the 1960s. They knew about my “difference,” but they had no way to understand it, and even I couldn’t really name it. They tried to help me by integrating me with other boys. I preferred the company of girls. My parents tried, without violence, but still aimed to guide me toward being a boy.
For example, I remember, rather than the figure skates I had longed for, they bought me hockey skates for Christmas, and at a children’s costume party, instead of the outfit I wanted to borrow from a friend, they bought me a Zorro costume. That was, for them, the only way to protect me from peer oppression and prepare me for the life I would realistically face. My mother Alinka and her entire family, on the other hand, accepted me without reservation, although I think it may not have been easy for each of them.
Monika: I sometimes catch myself repeating gestures or the way my mom speaks. Do you notice any traits of Maria or Kazimiera in yourself, maybe in your appearance, behavior, or manners?
Anna: Everyone says that I am very similar to Alina. I see it too. I think I also inherited some of her talent and love for music. I am also similar to her sisters.
Monika: I remember the time just after my transition, it was pure euphoria. My wardrobe is still overflowing with the dresses and shoes I bought back then, literally by the dozens, as if I wanted to make up for all the lost years. Did you feel something similar?
Anna: I felt exactly the same as you. Even today, my wardrobe is bursting with the clothes I bought back then like crazy. I spent a fortune on them and on cosmetics. I should get rid of those clothes, but I can’t. Nowadays, also due to a tight financial situation, I mostly shop online on Chinese Temu, boho style. And you know what…? I think I look more natural now than I did back then.
Monika: Many of us feel pressure to look like “100 percent women,” and even after surgeries, society still judges whether we look feminine enough. How do you cope with these expectations from the outside world?
Anna: Before my transition, and even just before entering the Sejm, I dreamed of a facial feminization surgery, buttock augmentation, and I was learning to speak in a higher voice, etc. It was a fear of poor passing. Due to my financial situation and age, I didn’t have much chance to achieve it. But the fact that I suddenly found myself in the eye of hundreds of cameras and lenses, and that my voice became widely known, radically cut me off from those plans. After all, even if I had had a chance to carry out that plan back then, it would have been a very ridiculous spectacle for the entire “audience.” So I came to terms with what I have, and today, despite being aware of my questionable passing, I am completely at peace with it.
Monika: I remember that my first encounter with a transgender woman stirred a mix of fascination and emotion in me. Do you remember your first meeting with a transgender woman? What feelings did it evoke in you?
Anna: I met my first transgender people, I don’t remember if it was in Paris or London, in the 1990s. Yes. I was full of excitement and, I have to admit, also jealousy.
Monika: Choosing a name is a very personal decision, often full of meaning and emotion. How did you come to choose the name Anna? Does it hold a special significance for you, perhaps symbolizing an important feeling or aspiration?
Anna: I don’t remember where the idea of the name Ania came from. But I do remember that when I was about 11 years old, I put that name on the cover of my diary. I decided that Ania was me.
Monika: In 2013, you published your autobiographical book My Name is Ania. It’s probably one of the most important books in Polish literature about transgender people. Which of your experiences do you think could be especially useful or inspiring for other transgender women?
Anna: That book probably helped a few people, perhaps it inspired them or released some energy to make a change: to become themselves in the real world. But nowadays, there are more inspiring books that show more contemporary experiences.
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| "Despite some hardships and disappointments, I am and have been happy." |
Monika: For many people, you are mainly associated with politics, and few know that you worked as an assistant camera operator at the Documentary Film Studio. How close were you to becoming a cinematographer yourself?
Anna: At that time, I intended to study in the cinematography department at the Łódź Film School, but I ultimately chose psychology at the University of Warsaw.
I don’t rule out that my being transgender played some role here, because I wanted to know more about myself and my transgender identity. As a result, I became a clinical psychologist.
I never practiced psychological therapy professionally, but I think the skills I gained allowed me to live much better and closer to myself. It also helped me in running support groups for transgender people within Trans-Fuzja.
Monika: After many years, you returned to the film industry as the executive producer of the second season of the series Defekt (2005). Did that work bring you satisfaction?
Anna: Yes, it was a wonderful adventure.
Monika: You came full circle with your connection to film by appearing in Woman of… (2023), directed by Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert. It tells the story of a transgender woman and is probably the first Polish feature film with such a protagonist. Is this an important film for the Polish transgender community?
Anna: My role in that film was a small, fun cameo. However, I hope that I helped Małgosia and Michał as one of the transgender consultants.
Monika: I often think of our lives as a big movie, sometimes there are beautiful scenes, and sometimes things don’t go at all as we hoped. Looking back on your life, do you feel you’ve been a good director, or were there also scenes that didn’t turn out as planned?
Anna: Oh yes! Not everything in my life went as I wanted. I made quite a few mistakes. But from the perspective of life experience, as an older person, I can say that it’s impossible to “direct” your life in such a way as to feel that this “movie” is entirely yours. Chance, existing circumstances, and other people always co-direct our lives. But toward the end of life, I conclude that despite some hardships and disappointments, I am and have been happy. Perhaps it’s true that without sadness, pain, and trauma, I would never have recognized the taste of happiness.
Monika: And now, what kind of “film” are you directing in your life, a drama, a romantic comedy, or maybe something between science fiction and a thriller?
Anna: Now? It’s not directing, but a passion, a craze for fixing the world. Strangely, it came to me along with my transition and it has stayed with me to this day. I don’t think I was like this before. I try to understand the system we live in, the economic, political, and socio-cultural processes that govern the world, and to find better alternatives for those that harm us. I write about this in my texts. I know that in thinking this way, I am creating a utopia in my imagination. But don’t people who want the world to be better need ideals, even if they are utopian?
Monika: Thank you so much for our conversation.
Anna: Thank you very much, Monika.
All the photos: courtesy of Anna Grodzka.
Main photo by Lalka Podobińska.
© 2025 - Monika Kowalska
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