Interview with Julia Scotti

Monika: Julia Scotti is an American comedian, former teacher, speaker, and transgender woman. She is known for her appearance in Season 11 of America’s Got Talent on NBC in 2016, and a comedy special on SHOWTIME called "More Women of a Certain Age". Hello Julia!

Julia: Hello Monika! Thanks for having me!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Monika: Do you often tell transgender jokes?

Julia: All of my comedy is based in truth. Being transgendered is part of my life, so yes, I do. Even though it is a big part of my life, it is a small part of what I do on stage, and only when I feel like going in that direction. In order to reach mainstream audiences, I need to focus on those things to which they can relate.

Plus, I prefer to think of myself as a comedian who happens to be transgendered as opposed to being known as a transgendered comedian. There's a big difference.

Interview with Jenn Burleton

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Jenn Burleton, a transgender activist, musician, feminist, the founder and Executive Director of TransActive Gender Center, an internationally recognized non-profit organization focused on serving the diverse needs of transgender and gender nonconforming children, youth, their families and allies. Hello Jenn!

Jenn: Hello Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Jenn: Sure! I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA), and currently live in Portland, Oregon, the USA with my life partner of 31 years. I spent most of my adult life working as a professional musician, but have devoted the past 7 years and the rest of my life to advocacy work on behalf of transgender and gender nonconforming children, youth, and their families.

Monika: What is the current agenda of TransActive?

Jenn: Well, TransActive Gender Center doesn’t really have an agenda, though as a non-profit organization we certainly do have a mission; “TransActive Gender Center provides a holistic range of services and expertise to empower transgender and gender nonconforming children, youth, and their families in living healthy lives, free of discrimination.”

Interview with Marissa Martinez

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Marissa Martinez, a talented woman and guitarist/vocalist for a California metal band called Cretin. Hello Marissa! 

Marissa: Hi!

Monika: First of all, I would like to congratulate you on your marriage! How did it feel to be the beautiful bride?

Marissa: Thank you! It was really nerve-racking until the ceremony actually started. Typically, I dress really casually, and I don’t have a big interest in clothing and fashion. So, the whole process of dress shopping, shoe shopping, deciding on hair and makeup. I found it all overwhelming. It’s just not my thing. I was really excited to be married to my husband. Just not so much for the wedding itself. Hahaha!

Monika: Any plans for the honeymoon?

Marissa: We just got back from our honeymoon. We went to Yosemite, which is where we got engaged.

Interview with Farah Zeiner

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Farah Zeiner, a German transgender activist, journalist, the founder of the YouTube vlog titled “Menschen dieser Erde”. Hello Farah!

Farah: Hello Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Farah: Hello, my name is Farah Zeiner. I studied social work, and I am a transgendered woman that advocates and promotes human rights, especially for transgender people in our society and around the world. I am living in South Germany at Lake Constance.

Monika: What inspired you to create a vlog where you place your interviews with transgender role models?

Farah: The inspiration to do interviews with transgender people came just naturally. Together with Michaela Werner, a good friend of mine and also a transgendered woman, we started making videos in our area, just for fun. So we developed the idea of doing interviews with transgender people. It was all going step by step; we found a brave transgender woman who gave us the first interview. After that interview, we got a huge fan base and more transgender people were able and brave enough to do interviews with our team.

Interview with Katie Sprinkle

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Katie Sprinkle, an American lawyer, former public defender, the founder of the Law Office of Katie Sprinkle. Hello Katie! 

Katie: Thank you for having me.

Monika: You can boast over 20 years of legal experience. Could you say a few words about your professional career?

Katie: I began my career in the private sector working for a couple of different law firms. I did that for about three years before starting to work for the Dallas County Public Defender’s Office. I was an assistant public defender in Dallas County for 14 years. I left Dallas County in 2011 to go to Burnet County to help set up and start a brand new Public Defender Office. I left Burnet County in the summer of 2013 to start my own practice. I had originally planned to start my own practice a couple of years ago but delayed doing so in order to complete my transition.

Monika: A year ago you opened your own firm Law Office of Katie Sprinkle. What services do your office provide?

Katie: I handle criminal defense cases, name and gender marker changes, wills and probate, and some family law.

Interview with Renee Reyes

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Renee Reyes, a successful American transsexual entrepreneur. She invented a product for cleaning “dry clean only” clothes at home in a household clothing dryer and holds eleven patents in this regard. She recently sold the enterprise that manufactured and distributed her product and now lives in Atlanta, GA. Hello Renee!

Renee: Hiya Monika! It’s a pleasure to catch up. Want to congratulate your progress and success by sharing the lives of accomplished trans-women from around the world. Know its lots of hard work and offers little reward. You’re making a difference: good for you!

Monika: You look fantastic, Renee. What is the secret of your beauty?

Renee: I’m now 52 – thus looking “fantastic” is not something that happens every day. Had my share of surgeries: FFS, breast & buttocks augmentation, and a bit of maintenance along the way. Some transgender women were naturals – ideally suited for a change of gender. I wasn’t. I suppose not being naturally pretty was an asset in some respects – I never quit trying to improve.