Interview with Ellen Jansen

Monika: Today let me present Ellen Jansen, an inspirational woman from Maastricht, Netherlands. She is a businesswoman and founder of Cheappower4U, a company offering services in the field of energy transitions in residential construction. In addition, she is a coach and speaker, helping people, teams, and organizations with transformation processes. She is the author of "Eindelijk Ellen: ​​De Odyssee van een transgender vrouw" (2023) - Finally Ellen: The Odyssey of a transgender woman. Hello Ellen! Thank you for accepting my invitation.

Ellen: Hi Monika! You’re welcome, happy to share my story.

Monika: I am really excited to talk to you. Could you say a few words about yourself?

Ellen: Of course! I am 38 years old, residing in Maastricht as you already mentioned, which in my opinion is the most beautiful city in the Netherlands. I am an entrepreneur at heart and derive a great deal of passion from it. I have successfully developed a product that contributes to the energy transition in the Netherlands. Additionally, as you indicated, I coach individuals and organizations, and finally, I am an ambassador for Workplace Pride, a global foundation that advocates for inclusivity in the workplace.

Interview with Gaby van der Brug

Monika: Today I have the pleasure and honor of interviewing Gaby van der Brug, a Brazilian-born model living in the Netherlands, beauty queen, and transgender woman that shares her transition story on social media. This year she is going to represent the Netherlands in Miss Trans Star International, a beauty pageant for transgender women, which was first held in 2010 in Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain. Hello Gaby!

Gaby: Hello Monika! Thanks for having me.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Gaby: I'm Gabriela but you can call me Gaby. I'm 21 years old, I'm a hairdresser and upcoming model. I have been living in the Netherlands since I was 11 years old.

Interview with Claire Slingerland

Monika: Today I would like to present to you Claire Slingerland, a Dutch filmmaker from Almere, the Netherlands, the director of the documentary "De Oversteek'' (The Step) and owner of film production company Blits Motion, as well as a proud transgender woman. Hello Claire!

Claire: Hello Monika! Thank you for inviting me.

Monika: You seem to be a woman of many talents. Could you say a few words about yourself?

Claire: Yes, I can. I'm a sixty years old woman from the Netherlands. I'm married to my wonderful wife and together we have two grown-up kids. With my team at Blits Motion we make movies for companies. And I'm associated with a foundation wherefore I make documentaries about inclusive and diversity subjects.

I'm now preparing a documentary to pay attention to 1000 to 2000 homeless LGBT young people in my country. They became homeless because they were not accepted by their parents. I want to make people aware of this problem because most people have no idea this is happening in our country. And I want to explore whether there is room within the parents' beliefs to accept their child.

Interview with Geneviève van Lynden

Monika: Today I have invited an inspirational woman. Geneviève van Lynden is a Dutch transgender woman, model, former police officer, mountains lover, and one of the icons of the Dutch transgender movement in the ’80s and ’90s. We are going to talk about her life and transgender experience in the previous century. Hello Geneviève! 

Geneviève: Hi Monika. Let me start by complimenting you on your great initiative. I love that you put so much time and energy into interviewing so many people for many years now. Your website has become a great time document; a resource that is rich in information about the past and presence of the lives of hundreds of transgender women.

You have interviewed so many inspiring transgender women. Like you, I admire many of them. How can I stand in their shadow? Nevertheless, I also have a story to tell and I am honored that you give me that chance.

Monika: Geneviève, you look like a million dollars. How are you doing this?

Geneviève: Thank you Monika. I'm happy and I radiate that, I think. In my younger years - I am now 62 years old - I knew of course that I looked good. At least that's what everyone told me. And I thoroughly enjoyed that. It pleases me that apparently I am still considered attractive to some even today.

Interview with Victoria Caram

Monika: Today I have invited an amazing woman. Victoria Maxima Caram is an Argentinian hairstylist, makeup artist, model, media personality, adult entertainment producer, and former stage performer living in the Netherlands. She is the Executive Director of Miss Trans Star International, a well-known transgender beauty pageant that is held every year in Barcelona, Spain. Hello Victoria!

Victoria: Hello Monika, I feel honored to be here today. I’ve seen so many talented and famous women in your interviews that I still don’t believe I am here.

Monika: You seem to be a woman of many talents. Could you say a few words about yourself?

Victoria: Well I wouldn’t say talents, I am a well-prepared woman, but above everything, I have been persevering with an almighty faith.

Monika: Victoria is a nice name. How did you choose it?

Victoria: In Roman mythology, Victoria was the name of the goddess of victory.

Monika: Before we have a closer look at your amazing professional career, I would like to ask you about your years in Argentina. Did you have a happy childhood there?

Victoria: Not at all, I was a kid with ADHD, so there were moments that even I did not want to be with me, hahaha. I come from the north of Argentina, Tucuman, from a very wealthy family; I went to the best elite schools. My mother is a doctor and my father is a businessman.

Interview with Lisa van Ginneken

Monika: Today I am going to introduce you to Lisa van Ginneken, a Dutch politician, human rights advocate, and LGBTQI+ activist. Lisa is the President of Transvisie, an organization that supports the trans community in the Netherlands. This year she is running for a Member of Parliament seat, representing D66, a social-liberal political party in the Netherlands. Hello Lisa!

Lisa: Hello Monika! I feel very honored to be here today with you and your readers. 

Monika: We are meeting a couple of weeks before the General Elections in the Netherlands. Our whole trans community is keeping fingers crossed for you, and I am very grateful that you have found some time to present yourself to the readers of my blog. Why do you want to enter the world of politics?

Lisa: Politics might feel a world apart from our own daily lives sometimes, but it is not. It affects our lives hugely, not only through the decisions politicians make but also by the example they set with their behavior. The tone of public debate really worries me, in the Netherlands and worldwide. In my years of advocating transgender rights in the Netherlands, I got familiar and intrigued with the ways of politics. And it felt like this is the right point in my life to put forward this and other experiences I have.