Interview with Lois Simmons

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Lois Simmons, an American tax preparer and writer from Suffern, N.Y. She writes posts for the blog titled “Being Christian and Transsexual: Life on Planet Mercury.” Hello Lois!

Lois: Hello Monika. To be included with such an illustrious group of trans women who you have interviewed is quite an honor.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Lois: This is the toughest question you asked me, as it is difficult to limit myself to a few words on almost any subject! But here goes.

I’m 64 years old. I was born in New York City (borough of Queens) and have lived all my life in the city or its suburbs. I went to Cornell with plans to be a Civil Engineer/Urban Planner/designer of roads and rail systems. I ended up with a degree in Government.

Interview with Tessa Fisher

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Tessa Fisher, an American Ph.D. student, astrobiologist, blogger, and occasional aspiring science fiction writer. Hello Tessa!

Tessa: Thank you for having me, Monika!

Monika: You call yourself “perhaps the world’s only queer trans astrobiologist.” What does an astrobiologist do? Could you say a few words about yourself?

Tessa: Well, first off, I must confess, that title is no longer accurate - I recently discovered there’s at least one other one out there (though she works on a different area of the field than I do).

In brief, astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, and distribution of life throughout the universe. It’s an extremely broad, interdisciplinary field, and astrobiologists study topics ranging from how life evolved from inanimate chemicals, to how habitable Mars might be, to looking for signs of intelligent civilizations in other star systems.

Interview with Kimberly Luciana Dias

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honour to interview Kimberly Luciana Dias, a Brazilian transgender activist, artist, beauty pageant queen, blogger, and creator of “Mundo T-Girl – Travestis e Transexuais”. Hello Kimberly!

Kimberly: Monika, please bear in mind that I am trying to use the social network of my country to spread the visibility of our trans community, especially Brazilian transvestites and transsexuals. I love doing this, so it is a great pleasure when I'm in front of my computer, building a virtual policy and manifesto, trying to use everything I have learned in my life through activism, stage, model catwalk, and my experience as a transgender woman. I am doing this just to show our vision, glamour, and beauty because our community deserves it!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?
Kimberly: I am a very accomplished person; I have all my dreams come true, but not all of them. It has taken me a lot of years but although I have a very serious look, I'm a very humorous person. I like my independence and I have a few friends, I love my family and my life story, and I really like my solitude that makes me feel good to be alone!

Interview with Abby Grace Hughes

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Abby Grace Hughes, known to friends and family as Abby-Grace. She is a video blogger that documents her transition on YouTube and on her blog. Hello Abby!

Abby: Hello Monika, thank you for this privilege. So much has happened in my life. From coming out at around 6, to struggling through puberty and school. Touring the UK in my Rock band in the 80s and early 90s. Transitioning in my early 20s to turning away to have children.

Three gender dysphoria caused nervous breakdowns putting me into psychiatric help. Coming out. Starting hormones. Changing name. Being beaten up for being trans. Life threatened. Had people arrested. I falsely had the police called out on me. Falsely tricked and lied about. Ran away from the UK to the States. Got stuck in Germany during my connecting flight because of a slight error on my Visa which cost an extra $800. 2 years RLE now as good as complete. Finding work here and processing my Visa. Then I’m off to college if I can.

I think I am now better equipped to help people having gone through it all, so there was a reason.

Interview with Natalie Colleen Gates

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Natalie Colleen Gates, an American writer, blogger, the author of Straight Boy/Queer Girl: A Memoir. Hello Natalie! 

Natalie: Hi Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Natalie: Oh my God, I'm so bad at things like that. You'd think being a blogger and having just written a memoir I'd be better at it. I don't know: I'm 32. I live with my dog Victoria Elizabeth in Richmond, Virginia.

Monika: Why did you decide to write your autobiography “Straight Boy/Queer Girl: A Memoir“ (2014)?

Natalie: To make money [laughing] at first. I've been blogging for a long time and people for the most part like my writing I thought I should take some of the energy I put into blogging and write a book. As I got into the project I realized it was important because I was writing the trans* memoir I wish existed before I transitioned.

All the memoirs I've read start with the trans* person in the present after they've transitioned. I didn't want to do that. I wanted to share my experience of thinking I might transition but not being sure about it. I really wanted to share with my readers how I came to the conclusion that I needed to transition.

I also wanted to share how what I was going through as a closeted trans* person was similar and how it was different from other closeted people's experiences.