Monika: Have you ever been married? Could you tell me about the importance of love in your life?
Kalina: Yes, I was married to the same woman for 20 years. She always knew about my transgenderism, but was in a state of denial as to how severe it was. She was my first love, the woman who gave me a chance at having a happy life. Love is a very important thing for anyone. I can’t understand why some transwomen choose to live a reclusive life. That isn’t living as a woman! A person has to fit into the social fabric of society as a woman in order to truly be considered a woman.
Monika: What do you enjoy most in being a woman?
Kalina: I enjoy living the kind of life I should’ve lived all along. When I go out to places and get treated nicely by people, it reinforces my belief that I should’ve been this way all along. Monika: What is your general view on the present situation of transgender women in American society?
Kalina: Most transwomen are misunderstood by society. We are seen as freaks because of bad journalists and television show hosts. Some people are two-faced and will treat us as women in everyday situations, but vote against us when it comes to trans health and trans legal rights.
 |
| At Starr Garden. |
Monika: We are witnessing more and more transgender ladies coming out. Unlike in the previous years, some of them have the status of celebrities or are really well-known, just to mention Lana Wachowski in film-directing, Jenna Talackova in modeling, Kate Bornstein in academic life, Laura Jane Grace in music or Candis Cayne in acting. Do you think we will have more and more such women?
Kalina: I hope so. I admire all of these women for the success, strength, and courage they’ve had and shown in public. I try to pattern all aspects of my own life after these exceptional women.
Monika: At the same time sometimes we get horrible news about transgender women being killed or beaten just as in the infamous case of Chrissy Polis that was beaten by two teenagers in Macdonald’s because she used the ladies’ toilet. How can we prevent it?
Kalina: Some form of education needs to happen in order to successfully integrate the concept of transgenderism into society, otherwise we will continue to see prejudice and discrimination against many of our sisters.
Monika: Do you think that in our lifetime we could live to the day when a transgender lady could become the President of the USA?
Kalina: Unfortunately, no. It took almost a quarter of a millennium to get a black president into office. It’ll probably take about as long to get a trans president.
Monika: Are you active in politics? Do you participate in any political lobbying campaigns? Do you think transgender women can make a difference in politics?
Kalina: I’m not personally active in politics, but I do admire those transwomen who’ve made significant strides in politics in the USA and other countries.
Monika: What do you think about transgender beauty pageants? Could we get rid of this label “transgender” and have only pageants for both non-transgender and transgender girls?
Kalina: In this age of plastic surgery, it would make sense to do away with the label and have both trans and non-trans women compete in the same pageants.
 |
| Breathtaking. |
Monika: Do you like fashion? What kind of outfits do you usually wear? Any special fashion designs, colors, or trends?
Kalina: I love fashion. I’m not so much into couture, but rather the kinds of things that a very beautiful, classy woman would wear.
Monika: You wrote and produced a number of books and videos to help transgender women improve their appearance and mannerisms. Could you elaborate on them more?
Kalina: My books are internationally recognized as some of the best makeup and transformation books for male-to-female crossdressers and transsexuals.
Each book contains lots of useful information that will help transwomen be the best that they can be. Over 4,000 crossdressers and transsexuals have learned from my books, many of whom have gone on to become pretty, passable, and successful in whatever they do.
Monika: You also run club events in Philadelphia for transsexuals, crossdressers, and their fans. Do they attract many guests?
Kalina: My Monday and Thursday night parties have attracted people from all over the world. Depending on the week, we can have small to medium-sized gatherings of up to 50 people. The tone of my parties is generally a lounge atmosphere. I know that some of my peers conduct their parties to have more of a showgirl or Circa de Soleil atmosphere, but that’s not really me. My parties have attracted people of all ages.
Monika: Are you involved in the life of your local LGBT community?
Kalina: Yes, I am. I served on the board of ASIAC, walked in or attended Philly Pride each year, and hosted and participated in numerous LGBT events in Philadelphia.
Monika: Many transgender ladies write their memoirs. Have you ever thought about writing such a book yourself?
Kalina: My Tales of a Sexy Vampire, Sexy Vampire Cookbook, and Walking With the Best of Them serve as my memoir in my early years. I wrote these back from 1992 to 1995. Someday I’ll publish a true memoir of everything from childhood to post-op life.
Monika: Could you say that you are a happy woman now?
Kalina: Happy is an understatement. Ecstatic is more like it!
Monika: Kalina, thank you for the interview!
Kalina: You’re welcome and thank you for including me in your awesome project!
All the photos: courtesy of Kalina Isato.
© 2013 - Monika Kowalska
No comments:
Post a Comment