Interview with Kaya Kornecki

At 35, Kaya Kornecki is blossoming into the woman she always knew herself to be. A Danish trans woman in the early years of her medical transition, Kaya began hormone therapy in 2023, though her love for femininity traces back to childhood. From experimenting with makeup at sixteen to dazzling Copenhagen nightlife in drag during her twenties, she embraced the freedom of transformation, but it was never quite enough. Eventually, Kaya made the brave and life-affirming decision to live as her true self, every single day. Her journey hasn’t been without hardship. Kaya has confronted depression, anxiety, addiction, and the weight of what might have been had she transitioned earlier. But through therapy, sobriety, and self-love, she has found healing, and purpose.

 

Today, she’s training to become a pharmacist, a role that brings both structure and pride into her daily life. Kaya’s presence on social media is honest and unfiltered. She shares tender moments of self-discovery, reflections on womanhood, and the small triumphs that make a trans life joyful: her first bottle of perfume, a new passport, the quiet thrill of being called “she” at work. Her name, Kaya, was chosen with care, a blend of personal history and quiet strength, echoing her mother’s love for a Polish singer and her own identity as a Danish woman. Grounded yet glowing, Kaya is not chasing the impossible dream of cisness. Instead, she walks boldly in her truth, offering an image of trans femininity that is both soft and resilient. She may still battle dysphoria and self-doubt, but she has learned to embrace the power of simply being herself. Whether she’s in sneakers or lipstick, Kaya radiates authenticity, and in doing so, helps light the way for others.

Interview with Fernanda Milán

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Fernanda Milán, a Guatemalan native, the first transgender person to be granted asylum in Denmark. Hello Fernanda! 

Fernanda: Hi Monika! Thank you for your time and for being so patient with the delay of the interview. I hope you are fine!

Monika: The fight for your asylum in 2013 was a challenging task. Let’s go back to those times. Could you say a few words about your life and Guatemala and emigration to Denmark?

Fernanda: Well, as you say the fight for the asylum was very challenging in so many ways. As for Guatemala, it is a difficult place for a transgender woman. I would like to be more general about the issue of living there because this is the context that I happen to have shared with so many people.

It is an environment of rejection by your family circles, friends, education institutes, and workplaces. When you decide to start transition or to come out of “the closet”, you live ostracized from everything that you know because in general all the girls back there feel that they were born female, which is in contrast with the public opinion that being a trans woman is a choice.

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 Mana Weindel

In a world that often rushes to define us before we’ve even found the words for ourselves, Mana Weindel stands as a quiet but radiant voice of self-discovery. Living in Denmark, this soft-spoken young video blogger documents her gender transition on YouTube, not out of a need to be followed, but from a desire to illuminate the path for others walking in uncertainty. Mana speaks with tenderness about her journey, shaped by emotional upheaval, resilience, and an unwavering pursuit of truth. From childhood memories blurred by confusion, through the pain of rejection and the courage of coming out, she has emerged not only as a woman of strength, but one of introspection, grace, and subtle rebellion. 

 

What sets Mana apart is not only her honesty, but the way she gently pushes against the grain. A self-proclaimed metalhead who dresses in black but dreams in color, she walks her own road with dignity and dark eyeliner. Her transition isn’t a loud proclamation, it’s a personal symphony of tiny, deliberate steps toward wholeness. In our conversation, Mana shares the emotional peaks and valleys of her experience, her views on society and reform, and her hope for a future rooted in self-love and financial independence. In her words and silences alike, Mana reminds us that happiness isn’t something granted, it’s something grown. And in telling her story, she offers that growth to others, petal by petal.

Interview with Maria Haaning

Maria Haaning is a young transgender woman from Denmark, recognized as the youngest Danish person to undergo gender confirmation surgery. Born as a boy, Maria faced a challenging journey filled with physical and emotional pain, including suicide attempts and significant financial costs exceeding 100,000 kroner. However, her unwavering determination and belief that transitioning was the right choice ultimately led her to embrace her true identity as a woman. At just 18 years old, Maria made the life-changing decision to undergo gender reassignment surgery, fulfilling her lifelong dream of living in the body she felt she was meant to inhabit. Her transition was fraught with difficulties, as she faced bullying, rejection from peers, and isolation from her family and society. In her autobiography, "Ham og Mig" (Him and I), Maria shares her painful yet inspiring story of being marginalized and misunderstood while striving to be true to herself.

 

Maria's book not only recounts her personal experiences but also serves as a valuable resource for understanding the struggles faced by transgender individuals. Through candid reflections, she discusses the impact of bullying, the internal battles she fought, and her journey toward self-acceptance. With her story, Maria aims to educate others about transgender issues and promote empathy and understanding. Today, Maria is a public speaker, sharing her journey and advocating for transgender rights across Denmark. She has participated in various media appearances and has been featured in national magazines. Her experiences have positioned her as a role model for young transgender individuals, inspiring them to embrace their identities and pursue their dreams. As she continues her education in pharmacy, Maria is committed to living authentically and finding fulfillment in her personal and professional life. 

Interview with Lizethe Alvarez Echeverry

Monika: Today we are going to Helsingør in Denmark to meet Lizethe Alvarez Echeverry, a remarkable woman and transgender activist born in Colombia. Lizethe participated in many initiatives targeting the improvement of transgender rights in such countries as Colombia, Spain, Germany, and Denmark. Hello Lizethe!

Lizethe: Hi Monika! Thanks for the invitation!

Monika: You have worked for over 20 years for different organizations that defend human rights in such countries as Colombia, Germany, Spain, and Denmark. Could you say more about these organizations and your work there?

Lizethe: It was a great experience for me, where I learned a lot about human rights in different periods of my life. For example, in Colombia I worked in the field of HIV/AIDS; in Germany, I worked for the rights of transpersons and in Spain, I focused more on labor insertion for immigrant transpersons. Now in Denmark I work for the visibility and human rights of transgendered couples.