Interview with Danielly Drugge

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Danielly Drugge, an inspirational fashion model from Sweden, beauty pageant queen, Miss Trans Star International Sweden, cosmetician, and happy wife. Hello Danielly!

Danielly: Hi Monika, first of all, I want to thank you for the opportunity to be here on your blog, giving all of us visibility and voice.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Danielly: Well, I am a girl who was born in Brazil, with a strong temperament. I am a dreamer, who never gives up on dreams, even though there are many difficulties imposed by society for being a trans woman.

Interview with Allison Annalora - Part 2

It is always a rare pleasure to return to a conversation with someone whose story continues to inspire and evolve. My first interview with Allison Lenore Annalora took place in 2013, and at that time I was struck by her warmth, honesty, and courage in sharing the many layers of her journey. Today, several years later, I am delighted to meet her again at a very special moment in her life. Allison has just published her long-awaited autobiography, Late Blooming: My Gender Journey, a candid and heartfelt account of her path toward authenticity. Allison is a woman of many talents and passions. She is a gifted singer, admired for her vibrant performances in cabaret and her ability to capture the glamour and spirit of the greats, including her beloved Barbra Streisand. She is also a creative hairstylist and make-up artist who has helped countless people feel beautiful and confident. Beyond her artistry, Allison is a woman who has lived through challenges that shaped her resilience, including a difficult childhood with adoptive parents who struggled with alcoholism, years of navigating gender identity in times when acceptance was far less visible, and heartbreaking personal losses that tested her strength.

Interview with Madi Madsen

Madi Madeleine Kruse Madsen is a pioneering Danish transgender activist and the proud owner of not one, but two successful beauty parlors. Madi, 55, transitioned from living as a man for the first 50 years of her life to becoming the woman she always knew she was. Over the past five years, she has embraced her authentic self while also building a thriving business in the beauty industry. In addition to her work in the beauty field, Madi is a prominent voice for the transgender community in Denmark, having appeared on television and actively participated in advocacy through FATID, a political organization for transgender people. She's been instrumental in pushing for significant legal reforms in Denmark, including the right to legally change gender without undergoing surgery and improving healthcare provisions for transgender individuals. 

 

Madi’s entrepreneurial spirit has transformed her beauty parlors, where she offers a range of treatments, including her signature diamond dermabrasion and gold treatment, a favorite among her clients. Despite the hardships she’s faced, including losing her IT career, marriage, and a successful dog breeding business during her transition, Madi remains focused on her passion for beauty and activism, with plans for future projects, including a counseling center for transgender individuals. In this interview, Madi shares her insights on her journey, the challenges transgender women face, her vision for a more inclusive society, and how she balances her professional ambitions with personal aspirations. Let's dive into her story. 

Interview with Dee HunnyBuns

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Dee HunnyBuns, a young American video blogger that documents her transition on YouTube. Hello Dee!

Dee: Hi Monika, well let me just start off by saying thank you and I feel extremely honored to be a part of this website, I see so many admirable women and their stories and it just makes me feel great to see fellow trans-sisters who are strong, beautiful and inspirational.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Dee: I am 24 years old, Mexican, born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m a licensed massage therapist and just finished school to get my license as a cosmetic laser technician. I’m a fan of all things beauty and really love the feeling of making other people feel beautiful. As a woman, I know how important feeling good in your own skin can be and want to help other women feel great in theirs as well.

Interview with Allison Lenore Annalora

Allison Lenore Annalora is an American cabaret singer and hairstylist whose life story is as inspiring as her performances. Born in Alderwood Manor, Washington, in May of 1955 as Larry Duane Miller, she was adopted at birth and grew up in Seattle. From the age of three, Allison knew she was a girl, a realization that marked the beginning of a challenging journey toward her authentic self. Her childhood was difficult, shaped by adoptive parents who were not particularly understanding or tolerant, and her school years were filled with bullying and discrimination. Despite these hardships, Allison’s resilience never wavered, and she has remained dedicated to living openly as her true self. Her first attempt to transition came at nineteen, but lacking support, she de-transitioned, only to successfully begin her transition at fifty-four and complete it at fifty-five. Today, she celebrates the unwavering support of her friends, family, and colleagues, who have embraced her transformation without hesitation.

Interview with Ar’lene D. Lafferty

Ar’lene D. Lafferty is a dedicated transgender activist, educator, and public speaker with over two decades of experience advocating for the rights and well-being of transgender individuals. Throughout her career, Ar’lene has been a passionate voice in the fight for equality, particularly in the areas of employment discrimination, restroom access, and social justice. Having transitioned in the early 1990s, Ar’lene has witnessed firsthand the challenges and barriers faced by transgender people in society, and she has used her own experiences to help others navigate similar struggles. She is a staunch critic of what she refers to as "The Jerry Springer Syndrome," a term she coined to describe the harmful portrayal of transgender people in the media and the ignorance perpetuated by individuals who are heavily influenced by misguided faith and political extremism. According to Ar’lene, these forces fuel the violence and discrimination that transgender people often face, and she has been a vocal advocate for challenging these harmful narratives.