Interview with Nyke Slawik

Monika: There are some moments in the history of the transgender community that could be defined as game changers or landmarks that allow us to measure how successful we have become as a community as well as change the way we are perceived by society. The year 2021 was a special moment in Germany where Nyke Slawik and her fellow politician Tessa Ganserer together became the first openly transgender people elected to the German parliament. Today I have the pleasure of talking to one of them, Nyke Slawik, a German politician and member of the Bundestag representing the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia on the Alliance 90/The Greens list. Hello Nyke!

Nyke: Hello Monika!

Monika: It has been almost two years since you became a member of the German Parliament. I guess you must have had some expectations about the job. Did something surprise you?

Nyke: Yes, how little time there is to get everything done. Time and priorities are of the essence, especially if you don’t wanna burn out. In my first year in the Bundestag, I was a bit overwhelmed by everything.

Now I’m focussing on just a few projects that I can handle. First of all the ‘Selbstbestimmungsgesetz’ (self-id law) for trans people in Germany, the national action plan ‘Queer Leben’ (Queer Life) that is aimed at improving the lives of LGBTIQ people in Germany and making public transport more accessible to everyone.

Interview with Nora Dahmer

Monika: Today I have the pleasure of talking to Nora Dahmer, a German businesswoman and transgender activist from the Rhineland, and the author of "Endlich Nora!: Aus einem Transgenderleben" (Finally Nora!: From a Transgender Life). Hello Nora!

Nora: Hello Monika, nice to meet you.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Nora: My name is Nora and I am 60 years old. For almost 3 years I have been living as a woman in society. I have two adult children. I advise companies on strategic issues as a freelancer. At the same time, I give lectures at schools and in companies for teachers and managers about LGBTQIA+.

Monika: What inspired you to write "Endlich Nora!: Aus einem Transgenderleben" (2022)?

Nora: With the decision to change my life, I sat down and reviewed everything for myself. Then I kept a kind of diary for myself practically during my transition from the moment I came out. I noticed how much was happening to me and my environment and decided to make a book out of my scripts. The aim was to help other people and to explain the background.

Interview with Luna

Monika: Today I am talking to Luna, a German transgender woman that documents her transition on social media. Hello Luna!

Luna: Hi Monika, nice to have a talk with you and I am glad to be able to share a little bit of myself here.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Luna: Of course, so my name is Luna, and I am 27 years old and I started being my true self only like 2 years ago. I live in Schwerin, the capital of Mecklenburg-Western Pommerania.

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

Luna: I wanted to be visible, to be out there, to show what is possible and how. Also, it grew more over time and it wasn't really that much planned in the beginning, but after seeing that there is soo little information about the processes and what will change I decided to show how my transition is.

Monika: Why did you choose Luna for your name?

Luna: Back at the time I decided Luna was the best fitting name for me I was really into the night and the moon and there also was a fictional character that played a huge role in the choice of my name and given the fact that I don't want to have any connection to my deadname it is Luna now.

Interview with Christin Sophie Löhner

Monika: Today let me present a charismatic woman from Germany. Christin Sophie Löhner is a German author, politician, activist and feminist, blogger, speaker on transgender topics, and expert in web development and server administration. In 2019 she published her autobiography „trans(*)parent: Wie eine Normvariante der Natur ihren Weg findet”. Hello Christin!

Christin: Heya Monika! Thanks for being with you. It is a pleasure for me to answer all your questions!

Monika: Did I miss anything in my introduction? You are a woman of many talents. :)

Christin: Haha, thanks! I'm asked from time to time how many hours my days actually have. My main daily business - besides my full-time job of course - is all about my own German-wide organization for self helping groups and peer support.

Interview with Nora Eckert

Monika: Today we are going to Berlin in Germany, where I would like to present to you an inspirational woman from Germany. Born on March 14, 1954, in Nuremberg, Nora Eckert is a well-known German cultural journalist and theater and opera critic. She is the author of many books and articles about German cultural events. I am going to talk with her about her recently published autobiography “Wie alle, nur anders. Ein transsexuelles Leben in Berlin” (Like everyone, just different. A transsexual life in Berlin), the history of the German transgender movement, and her own journey towards womanhood. Hello Nora!

Nora: Hello Monika, nice to meet you!

Monika: How are you doing in these crazy pandemic times?

Nora: These days are really crazy. None of us have ever experienced anything like this. But despite all the limitations, I try to live as "normally" as possible. Of course, I stick to the rules. Fortunately, I am not only a person interested in culture, but also a nature-loving person. While the theaters, museums, concert halls, cinemas were closed, I could at least go hiking. There are beautiful landscapes around Berlin and running is very good for my health!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Nora: You've already introduced me a little bit. I was not born in Berlin, but have lived here for 48 years. For me, this city was love at first sight, although back in 1973 Berlin was still divided and looked very different than it does today.

Interview with Marie

Monika: Today I am going to chat with Marie, a German transgender woman that shares her transition story on social media. Hello Marie!

Marie: Hello and I'm grateful for the opportunity to tell my story.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Marie: Yes, of course, I'm Marie and I love being myself. It was a long and really hard ride to realise that I could make my wish and dream come true. I lost my family but that's okay. If they don’t love me, then I will go and live my life on my own.

I am really happy that so many people in the village where I live support me. Now I'm an idol for all the women here and I love it. Being known as a lonely sad boy with such a good heart and being a lovely person, I lived through a horrible past but I have won the fight to be what I already was in my mind and heart.

Monika: Why did you choose Marie for your name?

Marie: I don't want my old life to fade away, so I took my time thinking about my name. And there it was. The name was shown to me like a vision and it felt really good. I was in love with it, beautifully female and old. Also it was a name from the Bible, so I was really happy and proud to have such a cute and fitting name to call myself.