Interview with Alysha Scarlett

Monika: Today I have invited Alysha Scarlett. Alysha has won 13 writing awards, is an American business owner, wrote a book, and was a screenwriter for a theatrical film. She is the first transgender or non-binary person to get their name and gender legally affirmed in a rural Utah county. Hello Alysha!

Alysha: Hi Monika! Thank you for having me on The Heroines of My Life!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Alysha: I am 33 years old and from Utah. Accepting myself closes the book on a years-long journey to realize my identity. My accepting myself had a direct connection with me not letting residue from the Latter-day Saint (formerly Mormon) church influence me any longer. I am on hormone replacement therapy. I also look forward to doing all medical transition surgeries this year.

Monika: I have visited the website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have been shocked by their attitude toward transgender people. In short, they do not allow medical, surgical, or social transition among their believers, and they specify that “taking these actions will be cause for Church membership restrictions.”

Alysha: This is one of many, many ways that the church doesn’t deserve to have “Jesus Christ” in its name.

Interview with Kimberly Davis

Monika: Today I have the sheer pleasure of meeting Rebekah Kimberly Davis, the author of "Becoming Kimberly: A Transgender's Journey" (2021), a biographical book that covers different aspects of her transition. Hello Kimberly!

Kimberly: Hi Monika! Thank you for speaking with me today. It is a pleasure.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Kimberly: I have always known something was different in me but being raised in the rural southern USA, I had to pretend to be someone else for most of my life. I was married twice and fathered three sons. My second marriage ended in 2016 with the death of my wife of 24 years. Her death freed me from a promise I made to her early in the marriage.

The first year Vikki and I were married, she discovered my girl clothes. The first thing on her mind was that I was having an affair. So, I made a full admission of my cross-dressing activities. Vikki, being an old hippie and survivor of the sexual revolution, did her level best to accept this and bring it out into our bedroom. She could not quite accept it.

Interview with Jessie McGrath

Monika: You do not like lawyers? Please do not go away because today I have invited a nice lawyer and an amazing woman. Jessie McGrath has been a prosecutor with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office since 1988. Her areas of expertise include consumer protection, cyber-crime, narcotics, and juvenile law. She has been lead counsel or co-counsel in consumer protection cases against Apple, Uber, Sony BMG, Choice Point, Honda of Santa Monica, McKenna BMW, and Gunderson Chevrolet. In April 2002 she was named Deputy District Attorney of the Month. Ms. McGrath has served on the Board of Directors and was Executive Vice President of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys, the union representing the more than 900 rank and file prosecutors of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. She is the happy parent of five children, three of whom will be lawyers too. Hello Jessie!

Jessie: Hi Monika. Thank you so much for reaching out to me and asking me to participate in your amazing work.

Interview with Lily Gist

Monika: Frida Kill is a Brooklyn-based intersectional feminist punk band. It consists of Lily Gist, Jeanette D. Moses, Maria Lina, and Gaby Canales. And today I am meeting Lily Gist to talk about her inspirations, being a trans artist, and her artistic perception of the world.

Hello Lily! You are a perfect example that punk rock is not dead!

Lily: Hi Monika! So are you, I just play loud music.

Monika: I always associate punk music with authenticity and equality. Is it difficult to achieve this with four strong-minded, charismatic ladies with different backgrounds and experiences?

Lily: We’re very different people from very different backgrounds. The other three don’t know what it’s like to be trans and I don’t know what it’s like to be Black, Hispanic, Jewish, from an immigrant family, or to have a pastor for a father. We all lead and support, fill multiple roles, different songs have different singers and we swap instruments often. Navigating each other’s differences can be complex work sometimes but we all have each other’s backs 100% and even when we argue or push each other’s buttons we listen and learn.

Interview with Mary Ann Horton

Monika: Today I have the pleasure of talking to Mary Ann Horton, PhD, an American transgender activist, computer systems architect, Internet pioneer, entrepreneur, author, and speaker. In 1997, she persuaded Lucent Technologies to become the first Fortune 500 company to add transgender-inclusive language to its nondiscrimination policy, and to add coverage for transition care and surgery. Her work, which was soon replicated at Apple and Avaya, led Out & Equal Workplace Associates to present her with the 2001 Trailblazer Outie Award (since renamed the LGBT Corporate Advocate of the Year).

Mary Ann founded several transgender social and activist groups. She conducted a research study that proved the addition of transgender medical coverage would cost companies virtually nothing. She has been featured in the Daily Beast, Out Magazine, Google Arts and Culture, Salon, Diversity Factor, SHRM, L-Mag, Nokia, Faces of Open Source, and Out TV. Hello Mary Ann!

Mary Ann: Hi, Monika. Thanks for inviting me.

Monika: You give a lot of interviews. What is the most frequent question related to your professional career or transition that you are usually asked and you are already fed up with?

Mary Ann: You know, I get a lot of great questions, but none of them really annoy me. One of the most challenging questions is “Are you treated worse professionally as a woman than you were as a man?” After all, many professional women are talked down to, looked over for promotion, or asked to make coffee.

Interview with Dana Day

Monika: Today I have invited Dana Day, an American transgender woman that documents her transition on social media. Hello Dana!

Dana: Hi Monika! And thank you for your interest in my journey!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Dana: I'm 42 years old and rebuilding my life. Essentially starting life over but this time, as myself. It's taken me a long time to find self-acceptance, but when I did, the decision to transition was an obvious one. The real me has always been creative and imaginative, but somewhere along my many lost years, I sold my soul for security and financial gain.

I buried my identity because of my desperation for acceptance from others. So in a broad sense, my journey to transition involves much more than just medically transitioning. It is a long walk down a path where I eagerly relinquish my past burdens and expectations and take my newfound energy to grow, to blossom, to finally... buy my soul back.

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

Dana: In my opinion, the most powerful tool for any transgender person, to bring to bear, is simply being visible for others to see. It is a statement so moving, that the foundations of society crumble at the edges. Just the acknowledgment of our existence pushes civilization to grow up.

Interview with Jillian Rae Celentano

Monika: Today I would like to present to you Jillian Rae Celentano, LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker), an American author and advocate for the transgender community, a mentor for trans youth, and has organized support groups for transgender children and young adults. Jillian co-authored two published transgender studies at Yale University and is a Community Liaison at the Yale Gender Program. Her book "Transitioning Later in Life: A Personal Guide" was published in 2021. Hello Jillian!

Jillian: Hello Monika! Thanks for having me.

Monika: Given my own experience as well as that of many girls and women that I interviewed, I wonder whether we should be called ‘runners’ instead of transwomen. We run, run, and run away from our feminine self until it catches up with us. The only difference is how long we can run away. Was it the same in your case?

Jillian: I have never thought of it that way, but that does hold a lot of truth. I knew something was different since the age of 5. When I told people I felt like a girl they made it very clear that I was a boy. This made me feel shameful, so I never spoke of it again. So my “running” journey was a 55-year run. But as you said, “she” finally caught up to me. I was so afraid of my feminine side and thought she was the enemy, but when confronted, I found out my feminine side was my savior and was the beginning of my true happiness.

Interview with Claudine Griggs

Monika: My guest today is Claudine Griggs, an American writer and college writing instructor. She earned her BA and MA in English at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and she has worked as the Writing Center Director at Rhode Island College and as a visiting professor of communication skills at Soka University of America.

She is currently a part-time writing specialist at the Bush School of Government and Public Service in Washington, D.C. Claudine is known for her science fiction stories, including "The Cold Waters of Europa," "Growing Up Human," "Firestorm," "Maiden Voyage of the Fearless," "Death after Dying," "Informed Consent," "The Gender Blender," and "Raptures of the Deep."

One of her stories, "Helping Hand," was selected for The Year's Best Military and Adventure SF 2015 and was adapted as an episode in the Netflix series Love, Death and Robots. Her most recent book, Firestorm, a collection of twenty-three of her short stories, was released in March 2022. Her novel Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was published in June 2020.

Hello, Claudine! I am so happy that you have accepted my invitation!

Claudine: Thank you. It was a pleasure to hear from you.

Monika: You are a very prolific writer. What do you think makes a good story?

Claudine: If I knew the precise answer, I’d probably write more stories like “Helping Hand.” But it’s difficult to predict what will interest a publisher or a producer, so I focus on creating stories that interest me. The most important aspect is the narrative itself. I know that character is important, too, but for me the story carries more weight. I love journeys and optimism along with a bit of the heroic. I also think that humans are a pretty good species, overall, and I often reflect this in my work. And if narrative surprises happen along the way, even better. But again—story, story, story.

Interview with Niya

Monika: Today I have invited Niya, an American transgender woman who documents her transition on social media. Hello Niya!

Niya: Hi Monika, thank you so much for inviting me to do this!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Niya: My name is Niya and I'm a 26-year-old transgender woman. I started my transition at 18 and here I am now I guess.

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

Niya: I'm pretty much an open book, but I like to share a lot of myself on social media because it's not only good to show others the progress you can make, but to also keep track of it yourself. Transitioning can be a very daunting task, and I think seeing others succeed in their transition can drive you to do the same in yours.

Interview with Ashley Adamson

Monika: Today I have a special guest for you. Ashley Adamson is an American speaker and writer on transgender personal growth and advocacy, YouTube vlogger, and transactivist. She is the founder of the Trans Resiliency project and Trans Club - a community dedicated to supporting the transgender community. She has spoken at conferences and for NGOs, including UNICEF, universities, and corporations, and appeared in major media outlets such as MTV, USA Today, and DW. Ashley is the author of Trans Kung Fu: Awakening of Self Acceptance (2021). Hello Ashley!

Ashley: Hello Monika!

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

Ashley: Thank youuuuu! I'm glad you see that. I actually have no talents haha! I am just good at teaching myself whatever I need to do and that makes me appear like I have many talents but honestly, I'm just decent at a lot of things. Uhm, I dunno I guess the most important thing in my life's mission is to help thousands of people questioning and/or trans figure out who they are and then follow their path or life's purpose.

Interview with Celeste

Monika: Today I have invited Celeste, an American student from Chicago and transgender woman who documents her transition on social media. Hello Celeste!

Celeste: Hi Monika! Thanks for having me!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Celeste: I’m a 22-year-old trans woman from Chicago. I’m currently in college working towards a degree in designing and building theatre sets and I love it! I really like cars and architecture and love taking walks and watching movies.

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

Celeste: Especially in early transition, I had very few moments where I looked in the mirror and felt like I looked like a girl and felt "cute". When I had those moments, I wanted to post them and celebrate it. As time has gone on, I have felt more confident in my appearance and my posts have been more for the purpose of inspiring "baby trans" (Early or pre-transition folks) and also getting some validation when I have especially dysphoric days.

Interview with Alexis James

Monika: Today I have invited Alexis James, an American science nerd, environmentalist, and transgender woman that documents her transition on social media. Hello Alexis!

Alexis: Hi, it's nice meeting you, Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Alexis: As recently as my early 30s I lived as a very heteronormative cis male. I was also raised Evangelical and was very devoted. I read my Bible daily from high school until just before I left the church, went on four mission trips, and towards the end of my time as an Evangelical I was even thinking about full-time mission work.

The mission work plan was really just a last-ditch effort to bury my gender dysphoria, and every life decision I made up until my early 30s was done in part to bury gender dysphoria. When it was apparent my gender dysphoria could not be buried and the claims of the Evangelicals were just factually incorrect (which could merit a separate interview) I decided to transition. I moved across the country to pursue a life I want and learn who Alexis really is.

Interview with Dusty Rose Smith

Monika: Today I have the pleasure of talking to Dusty Rose Smith, an American fashion model, and makeup artist. In 2020, Dusty took part in the first-ever Worldwide Transgender Model Search, organized by Slay Model Management, one of the world’s first agencies to exclusively focus on transgender models. Since then she has been modeling for this agency. Hello Dusty!

Dusty: Hello Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Dusty: I would like to say that I am a very real and fun person to be around. I have a dark and sick sense of humor and a love for animals and fashion! My dream in life is to win an Oscar for acting!

Monika: You describe yourself as "a good girl with bad habits". What are these bad habits? I am sure it is not sweets... :) You are ultra-slim.

Dusty: I have a lot of bad habits lol, definitely smoking is probably my worst. I love Marlboro Reds and weed all day every day! Also, I love getting into trouble and finding excitement and adventure.

Interview with Eris

Monika: Today I have invited Eris, an American cosplayer from Seattle and transgender woman that documents her transition on social media. Hello Eris!

Eris: Hiya Monika! It’s great to talk with you.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Eris: Of course! So my name is Eris, exactly like the Greek goddess of chaos and discord (which, if you ask my mother, is quite a fitting name).

I’m a 30-year-old cosplayer, avid anime watcher, and video game player, specializing in Japanese role-playing games. Basically, a big nerd. I was born and raised in New York and just moved across the country to Seattle last year. You can always catch me at the nearest anime convention in some new cosplay.

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

Eris: So I was born in 1991, about two years after the Internet became a thing. The Internet and I basically grew up together as siblings, so I’ve always been online. Social media is great because you can find other people who are into the same hobbies as you very easily.

Interview with Lauren Robison

Monika: Today I am talking to Lauren Robison, an American retired IBM-er, former car racing champion, and transgender woman that documents her transition on social media. Hello Lauren!

Lauren: Thanks so much, Monika! One quick correction, I never was a champion driving the race car. The best I ever did was to finish in 4th place for the season, missing third place by one point. I'm still frustrated by that! What I am most happy about, regarding my experience racing with the Sports Car Club of America, is that I did it. I have loved the sound and the smell of a racetrack for years and years so having the chance to live a dream of mine and see it become reality was really quite special.

After my transition, I had very much lost my sense of community. I needed a new start for my new life with an entirely new set of people. I used to fly full-size airplanes before getting married, so I thought that was perhaps a viable option, but I found myself with nothing to do on a summer weekend, so I took the chance to drive, in my sportscar, out to Summit Point Motorsports Park in West Virginia. Needless to say, I was enthralled with the sights and the sounds, but I was even more excited by the friendly people. This was a place where I could build a new life so I made the leap and volunteered to help. I, an unknown tall woman was welcomed with open arms.

Interview with Stephanie Bruning

Monika: Today I have the honor and pleasure of talking to Stephanie Bruning, an American academic historian, LGBTQ+ activist, and transgender woman that documents her transition on social media. Hello Stephanie!

Stephanie: Hello Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Stephanie: I'm a historian and educator. I've spent most of my career developing instructional content in history for primary and secondary school students. I also sometimes present on topics related to education or on topics connected to LGBTQ+ history (my next presentation will be a workshop on LGBTQ+ history at the Keystone Conference). I started my transition in 2018 but didn't go full-time until 2020 - although I spent the better portion of my life going back and forth on the idea. Day to day, I can usually be found reading, binge-watching TV with my partner, or playing music.

Interview with Christine Zuba

Monika: Today I am talking to Christine Zuba, an American transgender activist and eucharistic minister at Saints Peter and Paul in Turnersville, New Jersey. Hello Christine! 

Christine: Hi Monika. So wonderful to be here, thank you for inviting me. I never really thought of myself as an activist, however I have been fairly visible with my job and my Catholic faith.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself? You are a Pennsylvanian lady, right? 

Christine: I am a 65-year-old transgender woman living just outside of Philadelphia in New Jersey. However, my heritage is Polish. My mother’s maiden name was Ostraszewski. Some of my grandparents came from Poland, or their parents came from Poland. My father lived for a time as a child in Poland, he said they lived in an area near the Czechoslovakian border. I grew up and spent most of my early life in northeastern Pennsylvania. As early as I can recall, about the age of 4-5 years old, I felt different. It took over 50 years, after marriage and two children however, when I finally transitioned at the age of 58. I’ve been in broadcast equipment sales for 30 years, and continue to travel all over the country.

Interview with Cami Richardson

Monika: Today I am talking to Cami Richardson, an American businesswoman, former firefighter, Chief Financial Officer of American Skiing Company, and LGBTQ community advocate. She is the author of the autobiography "Do You Know Who I Once Was?" (2019). Hello Cami!

Cami: Hi Monika! I am thrilled to be able to talk with you today. I hope our conversation will be fruitful for those listening. I have some interesting stories to tell about my life that I think many people will find enjoyable.

Monika: You are a New York lady, right? Could you say a few words about yourself?

Cami: Growing up in New York was an interesting experience. At the young age of 8 years old, I started to wear my mother's underwear and stockings and loved the feeling of wearing women's clothes. I was a good Italian Irish Catholic boy and could not explain why I was interested in wearing my mother's clothes and obviously I could not tell anybody. I hid my secret for 55 years before I finally came out at the age of 63 years old. I think being in a New Yorker actually helped me in that it toughened me as an individual so that I could handle what was to come when I finally did transition.

Interview with Stacy James

Monika: Today I am talking to Stacy James, an American musician and guitar virtuoso from Los Angeles, the founder of two bands: Dante's View and Death Valley Daisies. You can follow her guitar masterpieces on her YouTube vlog "Stacy James Guitar". Hello Stacy! 

Stacy: Hi Monika! Thank you for having me and thank you for your support of our community!

Monika: Jimi Page used to say that every guitar player inherently has something unique about their playing. They just have to identify what makes them different and develop it. Have you done it yourself?

Stacy: I feel like I have. I've been playing guitar for over 30 years, and in guitar they say "it's all in the hands" which yes, takes time to develop. It took me time to develop a guitar technique that is like one's thumbprint or DNA on your music, like a vibrato. It can be just how you touch the guitar. I feel if you can combine developed skill and technique, you're almost there. Last would be note choice or how you choose to express your techniques through notes themselves. It's all about finding your own personal expression through the instrument.

Interview with Rachel Doese

Monika: Today I have the pleasure and honor of interviewing Rachel Doese, an American sports athlete and gym nut, happy parent, and transgender woman that documents her life on social media. Hello Rachel!

Rachel: Hey Monika! Thank you so much for reaching out! Very pleased to talk to you!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Rachel: Yes, of course! So I’m 31. Like you said, I’m a gym and fitness nut and I am a parent to a gorgeous kiddo. I started my transition nearly 3 years ago and it’s been a crazy experience, to say the least. I work full time in a sales-related career. My main passions are fitness, football, basketball, fashion, and family.