Monika: Do you believe transgender women can make a real difference in politics, given the challenges they face?
Kendra: I believe we do have a future in politics, and because of the oppression and hate we experience, it'll make us better politicians. We'll be able to take actions that truly help people, understanding what they are going through, and make decisions that genuinely improve and empower their lives.
Monika: Do you enjoy fashion, and how has your style evolved since your transition?
Kendra: Of course I like fashion because I'm a girl. I never wear an outfit more than once. I like to donate my clothes to charity. As far as colors, I like bright colors. I hated them before I started hormones, I used to wear nothing but black and dark colors. Hormones have truly brightened my perception.
Monika: Are there particular colors, trends, or ways of wearing clothes that you especially love?
Kendra: I like the colors pink, yellow, and purple, anything bright and beautiful. Everything has to be fresh and new. It doesn't have to be expensive though; I can take a $5 shirt and make it look like a million dollars. It's all in how you wear the clothes that truly matters. You can take just about anything and make it look beautiful and appealing if you pour your heart into it.
Monika: What are your thoughts on transgender beauty pageants and their impact on visibility and acceptance?
Kendra: I think transgender people are the most beautiful people in the world. I think the transgender beauty pageants are amazing. Jenna Talackova was wrongfully disqualified from being a Miss Universe Beauty Pageant contestant, but it just goes to show that not everyone is as accepting of us as others are. She won her court battle to be able to participate in the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant, and she was just as amazing as any of those other girls there and just as qualified to be there.
Monika: How do you see the journey toward acceptance evolving for transgender people in areas like pageantry?
Kendra: It's gonna take time. Some people still haven't seen the light, but I believe eventually we'll have a day where we don't have to battle out our differences in court just to be allowed to participate in a beauty pageant.
Monika: Could you share your thoughts on the role of love in your life and how it has shaped you?
Kendra: Love who you want. Love God first, yourself second, and he'll give you all kinds of people to love who'll love you back. Love is the most important thing in my life right now because I haven't always had love in my life or in my heart, especially the love for myself at times. But now I love the woman that holds the door open for me, the waiter that serves my food at a restaurant, the homeless man on the side of the road begging for food, the broken soul, the brokenhearted, and the broken human. I love everyone and everything that God has created for me!
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| I'm that girl for real. Most people would die if they had to live in my shoes but I'm redeemed and now it is time for me to live the next 35 years in God's heavenly lights that shine upon me daily. |
Monika: Are you currently working on any new projects, and could you share what they involve?
Kendra: I'm working on the edits for my book, the life group Longing for Eden, and my website. I'm also working on turning my book into a movie. I want to set up a life group in my home county of Shenandoah because it really needs all the help it can get right now with the epidemic that's going on there. It's a very beautiful but small county, so word gets out fast on anything that is happening there.
Monika: How do you hope your new projects will impact your community?
Kendra: I hope they can make a real difference by providing support and guidance, helping people feel seen and valued, and inspiring them to live their truth despite any challenges they face.
Monika: What advice would you give to transgender girls struggling with gender dysphoria or facing bullying?
Kendra: If you're being bullied in school or anywhere, you need to speak up and tell someone because it'll just keep happening unless you take action and do something about it. The same goes for the bystanders of bullying. If you see someone being bullied, you need to speak up and tell someone because if you don't take action to stop it, then that person could go home and take their life, when you could've done something to prevent it, and I know that would weigh heavily on my soul, so don't let it weigh heavily on yours.
Monika: And what would you say to someone feeling lonely or depressed, as if life isn’t worth living?
Kendra: Remember your life is worth something to someone, and that no matter how bad the circumstances are, things can always change for the better. Speak up, speak out, take action, and never forget that you're valued by somebody!
Monika: My pen friend Gina Grahame once wrote that we should not limit our potential because of how we were born, or by what we see other transgender people doing. She said our dreams should not end on an operating table, that’s where they begin. Do you agree with this?
Kendra: I don't agree with that because it's not a requirement for me to be a woman. Having that surgery isn't important to me because it's not gonna make me any more woman than I already am. It's not gonna stop my dreams of being an actress or being able to support the ones that I love. Hormones are good enough for me because I have other dreams that I feel are more important to me than having my birth defect removed.
Monika: Thank you so much for this interview, Kendra.
More information about Kendra: Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, or email her at kendra.brill80@gmail.com
END OF PART 2
© 2017 - Monika Kowalska
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