Interview with Alicia Jane Ryder

Monika: Alicia Jane Ryder, an American trans activist and former US Government official, is my lovely guest today. Hello Alicia! Thank you for accepting my invitation.

Alicia: Hello Monika! Thank you for having me.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Alicia: I am a 71-year-old transgender woman, completely transitioned through surgeries, 7 sessions, 57 hours total. Retired from Government service after 51 years total, 26 for the feds and the balance for the state of Oregon.

Monika: What inspired you to be an LGBT advocate?

Alicia: I and my wife are both transgender. Together for 25 years married one day after it became legal.

Interview with Philippa Ryder

Monika: Today I am going to talk to Philippa Ryder, an Irish civil servant, LGBTQ+ activist, author, and feminist. Over recent years, she has been a board member and chair of Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) and part of the Steering Committee of Transgender Europe (TGEU). She was a founding committee member of Sporting Pride, Ireland’s LGBTQ+ sports organization. In 2019 she was one of the founders of Under the Rainbow where she is now Chief Operating Officer. She is also the chairwoman and director of Dublin Pride. Her memoir, My Name is Philippa, was published in 2020. Hello Philippa! Thank you for accepting my invitation.

Philippa: Thank you for the invitation, Monika. I’m delighted to take part.

Monika: You are a very busy lady. How do you manage to combine your professional work with activism?

Philippa: I retired from the Civil Service last year so that gave me more time to devote to activism which, in a few different fields, has always been part of my life. I seem to be drawn to committees unfortunately, I find it hard to say no when I see that something needs to be done.

Interview with Emily Green

Monika: The city of Glasgow is our next destination today where my guest lives. Emily Green is a Scottish transgender woman and blogger that documents her transition on social media. Hello Emily!

Emily: Hiya Monika thank you for having me!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Emily: I'm 37 and I am a civil servant by job. I'm a massive wrestling fan and enjoy being a foodie and a small-batch coffee geek. I dabble with the odd ice hockey game and enjoy six nations rugby. I also blog about craft beers as Glasgow Beer Girl.

Monika: When I visit the UK, I usually drink Caffrey's, my favourite one, which is not a craft beer but still palatable to me. What is your favourite one?

Emily: I have a soft spot for the German lager Augustiner Helles. I love IPAs, stouts, and porters.

Interview with Lena Kuner

Monika: Today I am going to interview Lena Kuner, a German transgender woman, fashionista, travel blogger, and gamer that shares her transition story on social media. Hello Lena!

Lena: Hello Monika, it's a pleasure for me. Thank you!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Lena: My name is Lena, and I'm 36 years old. I live in a small town in the German federal state of Saxony. I live there with my boyfriend and work as an archivist for our district administration.

Monika: Lena is a nice name. Why did you choose it?

Lena: Long story! *chuckles* I love the sound. I chose it a long time before my transition started. In video games I always had the nickname "Lalena".

Monika: What inspired you to share your intimate life moments on social media?

Lena: Because I want to show that trans people are just as normal as everyone else. I don't want to be special or something. Maybe I'm a role model for somebody. If somebody feels better after reading my posts, I'm happy. And of course, I love modelling! *smiles*

Interview with Kamila

Kamila is a remarkable transgender woman whose journey from Poland to the UK is not only a personal transformation but a testament to her strength and resilience. A 34-year-old civil service employee, Kamila is also an outspoken transgender activist who has spent years advocating for the rights of transgender individuals both in Poland and beyond. She is deeply involved in the LGBTQ+ community, particularly through her work as a moderator of one of Poland's largest transgender support forums, transpomoc.pl. Kamila's story is one of courage, perseverance, and the relentless pursuit of happiness, and she continues to be a beacon of hope for many who are navigating their own transitions in Poland.

 

Monika: Today, I’m inviting you on a journey to the East Midlands region of England to chat with Kamila, a truly inspiring woman from Poland. Kamila is not only a transgender activist but also a successful business support analyst working in the British civil service. I’ll be discussing her experiences of living as a transgender woman in both Poland and the UK. Hello Kamila! Dzień dobry!

Kamila: Dzień dobry, Monika! First of all, I would like to thank you for your invitation to take part in this project. I'm humbled by your invitation. It’s always a pleasure to share my story and raise awareness about transgender issues.

Interview with Alexandra Chandler

Monika: Today I am hosting a very special woman. Alexandra Chandler is an American politician, lawyer, and former senior analyst at the Office of the Naval Intelligence. She is also an advocate for equality for LGBT people, especially transgender youth, immigrants, and people of color.

Currently, she holds the position of Policy Advocate at Protect Democracy, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization with an urgent mission: to prevent democracy from declining into a more authoritarian form of government.

In 2018, she took part in the Democratic Party primary, running for election to the U.S. House to represent Massachusetts' 3rd Congressional District. Alexandra is married to Catherine, her high school sweetheart, and they have two children. Hello Alexandra!

Alexandra: Hello Monika! So glad to virtually meet you and those reading, wherever they are and whenever they do! 

Monika: How are you holding up in the pandemic times?

Alexandra: Relatively well, thank you. The truth is, we (speaking of our family) are very fortunate. My wife and I both have flexible (if intense this year!) and secure jobs that allow us to work from home and with some ability to reshuffle our hours around. We are both in good health with no major risk factors for COVID, as are our kids.

Yet that said, it is hard, as it is for all of us. There are so many moments where I feel I cannot be fully present as a mom or as a professional, because even with an amazing employer, there are times when I have to do both, with the addition of trying to be a halfway decent part-time elementary school teacher and IT support for my son doing remote school. I am also such an extroverted person, and I miss the in-person interaction with friends, I miss seeing bands in concert and dancing, I miss eating in restaurants.