Interview with Samantha Pearsall

Monika: Today I would like to introduce to you Samantha Pearsall, an inspirational woman from Manchester, England. Samantha is a transgender educator, and speaker, known for her Deaf Transgender Awareness workshops. She is the author of "The Woman I Am: My Journey from Richard to Samantha", a biographical book that has been published recently and is available on Amazon. Hello Samantha, thank you so much for accepting my invitation!

Samantha: Hello Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Samantha: I was born profoundly deaf and grew up in the Northeast of England. I’m also a post-operative transgender woman, and now living in Manchester.

Monika: Your story was widely covered by the British media. Were you happy about the way it was done?

Samantha: Sometimes, it depends on the media. Most of the British media approached and check with me to ensure that the articles is correct etc. Whereas for some media, they’ve gone and created the article when the language appropriation can be incorrect at times.

Interview with Pia Notoriyas

Monika: Today we are going on a journey to the United Kingdom where we are going to meet a talented female artist. Pia Notoriyas is a Filipino-born singer and songwriter, model, YouTube vlogger, social media influencer, and transgender activist. Pia is known for The Euphoria Song Project, a song about the discrimination and the empowerment of trans lives, which in 2020 became the transgender anthem of the year. Hello Pia, I am so happy that you have accepted my invitation!

Pia: Hello Monika! Hello everyone!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Pia: My name is Pia Notoriyas. I’m a transgender singer-songwriter and producer, Filipino, and based in the United Kingdom. 

Monika: Why did you choose Pia for your name?

Pia: Choosing your name is probably one of the most important stages in our transition, I wanted something that meant something to me and a name that embodied femininity and my culture, Miss Universe is a beauty pageant competition that celebrates femininity and countries from all around the world compete for the crown, in 2015 the Philippines won miss universe and she happens to be called Pia, and at that moment I knew that as the name I wanted, it represented strong femininity and my culture.

Interview with Chrissie Chevasutt

Monika: Today I am honored to host Chrissie Chevasutt, an inspirational woman, writer, and transgender advocate from Oxfordshire, England, the author of the recently published biography "Heaven Come Down: The Story of a Transgender Disciple" (2021). Hello Chrissie!

Chrissie: Hello Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Chrissie: I'm 62, married, and have two lovely daughters aged 23 and 25. I've worked in graphic design and illustration, catering and hospitality, the building industry, and the church. I've been a missionary, pastor and preacher, and teacher, but my heart is to love, serve, pastor, and create a safe space for the vulnerable and marginalized. My lifelong passion has been cycle racing and riding.

Monika: Why did you choose Chrissie for your name?

Chrissie: My family surname is French in origin, deriving from the monasteries in the 11th century. I've been trans all my life but never had a name for my trans self until I came out. I chose the name Chevasutt to honor the beautiful woman who helped deliver our two daughters, the richest gift of our lives, and Chrissie just seemed to fit, sit and roll off the tongue.

Interview with Pavie Valsa

Monika: Today we are going to meet a talented and inspirational woman from Czechia. Pavie Valsa is a young makeup artist, model, Britney Spears impersonator, poet, painter, and writer living in the United Kingdom. She is the author of "Twenties and Happy: A complete guide to happiness in a little pocketbook" (2019), published in the English and Czech languages. Hello Pavie!

Pavie: Hello Monika, it’s nice to talk to you.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Pavie: I never know what kind of words to say to this question. Ermm I’m a human being? (Laughing) No, seriously, I'm a 27-year-old girl from Czechia. A proud trans girl, to be specific.

I am an author of the book Twenties and Happy, I’m also a Britney Spears impersonator and a signed model, also a professional makeup artist, which I studied for 4 years. In addition, I am a very typical Cancer, I am left-handed, and I have green eyes.

Interview with Petra Wenham

Monika: Today I have the pleasure and honor of interviewing Petra Wenham, a British woman from Suffolk, UK, the first transgender woman to star on the front cover of the Women’s Institute magazine, WI Life. The Women's Institute is a community-based organization for women in the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, and New Zealand. Petra is a speaker and activist for a Suffolk chapter of the branch, the Cake and Revolution WI. Hello Petra!

Petra: Hi, to give your readers some additional background. The WI in the UK is a charitable organization and started in 1915 although its roots are in the late nineteenth century in Canada. There are numerous local WI groups organized into geographic federations generally based on a County. These county federations are in turn federated together under the national federation (www.nfwi.org.uk). It is the national federation that publishes the WI Life magazine and who commissioned the feature article on myself.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Petra: I am a retired 74-year-old transgender woman who transitioned to living full-time as a woman in 2018. I’m married and earlier in 2021 we celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary and we have two children and two grandchildren.

Interview with Catriona

Monika: Today I have invited Catriona, a Scottish transgender lady, LGBTQI+ advocate, gamer, and photographer that documents her transition on social media. Hello Catriona! 

Catriona: Hi Monika, thank you for having me.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Catriona: I am a 37-year-old transwoman from Glasgow, Scotland. I began my transition at the age of 34 and began documenting it shortly after.

Monika: Why did you choose Catriona for your name?

Catriona: Quite simply if I had been assigned female at birth, Catriona would have been my name.

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

Catriona: There is still too much misinformation and incorrect assumptions about what it is to be a transgender person. By sharing snippets of my life and experiences I hope to show people that whilst I am a transgender woman that is only a small aspect of my life.