Interview with Lannie Rose

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Elaine Rhodes, a.k.a., Lannie Rose, an American computer engineer, and writer, a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and Santa Clara University. In her day, she was a regular contributor to the e-zine Transgender Forum, a member of the Triangle Speaker Bureau, the author of “How To Change Your Sex: A Lighthearted Look at the Hardest Thing You'll Ever Do” (2004), “LANNIE! My Journey from Man to Woman” (2007), and “Everything Nice: A Late-Onset Coming-of-Age Story” (2009). Hello Lannie!

 Lannie: Hi Monika! Your website is an impressive body of work, as well as being nicely designed, and I say this as one web designer to another. I am happy to become part of it! 

Monika: Before we get started, could you please explain your name? Are you Elaine, or Lannie, or what?

Lannie: Yeah, uh, well, it’s like this: Early in the Internet days, in the late 1990s, there was a lot of fear about people online tracking you down and murdering you in your sleep, so nobody used their real names. Nobody actually got murdered in their sleep, by the way. 

Anyway, I became Lannie Rose at that time, and it stuck. When it came time to legally change my name, I went from Edward Rhodes to Elaine Rhodes, keeping the same initials, you know?

Interview with Kelly Metzgar

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Kelly Metzgar, an inspirational transgender rights activist from Saranac Lake, New York, USA, a co-founder of Adirondack North Country Gender Alliance, a community-based LGBTQ organization providing services to the Adirondack North Country of Upstate New York. Hello Kelly! 

Kelly: Hi Monika, thank you so much for reaching out to me for this wonderful opportunity for a nice international chat!
Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?
Kelly: I am a transgender woman living in Saranac Lake in the Adirondack North Country of upstate New York.
I am passionate about my advocacy and educational work having been involved in Transgender, Gender Non-Conforming/Non-Binary as well as Lesbian, Gay, Bi/Pansexual training workshops for several years speaking in regional colleges and universities, as well as to various religious, business, and civic organizations. I present customized, targeted workshops and training sessions at Transgender and LGBTQ conferences in both my regional area, New York State, and national levels.

Interview with Cathy Serino

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Cathy Serino, a disabled transgender veteran, and activist from Missouri, USA. Hello Cathy!

Cathy: Hello Monika. It’s a pleasure to speak with you.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself? I have read that you have three lovely three granddaughters!

Cathy: Yes. I have five children and actually, at this point, I have 4 grandchildren. 3 girls and 1 boy with the newest arrival being in August 2017. My grandchildren are my special angels and everything I do is to hopefully allow them to grow up in a society that is about love and acceptance and not the hate and discrimination that has been present throughout my life.

Interview with Kelly Grice

In the heart of Manchester, among the terraced homes and unmistakable Northern charm of Burnage, grew a girl who hadn't yet found her reflection in the mirror. That girl would one day become Kelly Grice, a tall, elegant woman with a warm laugh, a resilient spirit, and a story of courage that would inspire many across the UK and beyond. Known for her height at 6 ft 4, Kelly’s true measure is found not in inches, but in strength, grace, and kindness. Today, Kelly lives happily with her husband, Darren Grice, whose support and love became her anchor during the more turbulent waters of her transition. Together, they prove that love transcends every expectation. In 2017, Kelly published her memoir “My Journey from He to She and How to Transition”, a heartfelt and practical guide born from the meticulous notes she kept throughout her experience, written not for fame, but to ease the journey of others walking a similar path.

 

From navigating the NHS system to embracing life as her authentic self, Kelly's journey is one of honesty and hope. She speaks candidly about the challenges trans women face, the importance of self-compassion, and the quiet victories that come from being seen and accepted, not only by others, but by oneself. Beyond her book, Kelly is now pursuing a degree in Psychology, with the dream of one day supporting other transgender individuals through their own transitions. In her downtime, she finds joy in simple things, comfortable leggings, conversations by the canal, and historical novels set in ancient times, including the one she's currently writing about Alexander the Great. In this interview, Kelly shares her experiences, insights, and a wisdom that only comes from living life fully, openly, and without apology. It is my honor and pleasure to introduce you to a woman whose voice, both gentle and powerful, reminds us all that the journey to becoming ourselves is one worth every step.

Interview with Shauna Marie O'Toole

Shauna Marie O’Toole is a woman whose life story reads like an epic, full of resilience, reinvention, and radiant authenticity. An activist, scientist, engineer, educator, and mother, Shauna has lived many lives before fully embracing the one that brings her the most joy: her life as a transgender woman, committed to fighting for justice and equality. Currently living in Geneva, New York, she is the Director of the We Exist Coalition of the Finger Lakes and a proud voice for her community. Her activism is grounded not only in policy and advocacy but in profound personal experience, from moments of homelessness to the power of reclaiming identity and voice. 

 

A self-described “accidental heroine,” Shauna began publicly transitioning at the age of 50, documenting her journey in her deeply moving memoir, You Can’t Shave in a Minimart Bathroom. With honesty and heart, she has spoken out about the joy and heartbreak of transition, the importance of chosen family, and the continued fight for transgender visibility in political and social arenas. Whether she's standing at the podium at the Women's March in Seneca Falls or speaking from her heart in a quiet classroom, Shauna radiates the kind of quiet courage that changes lives. In this interview, we meet a woman who has not only walked through fire for her children and her truth, but who continues to stand tall, spine forged in steel, voice full of empathy, so that others might walk a little more freely. With her fierce intellect, biting humor, and unwavering hope, Shauna reminds us that authenticity is not only beautiful, it is revolutionary. 

Interview with Lisa Bunker

It is my joy and privilege to introduce Lisa Bunker, a woman whose life and words shimmer with authenticity, resilience, and quiet grace. Lisa is best known for her imaginative and deeply human novels Felix Yz and Zenobia July, stories that open portals not only to other worlds, but into the hearts of young readers who yearn to see themselves reflected with tenderness and truth. After decades of persistence, Lisa is now living her dream as a full-time writer, creating stories that blend whimsy with wisdom, and crafting characters who are wonderfully, unapologetically themselves. Having transitioned in her mid-forties, she speaks with gentle clarity about the realities of gender, love, and becoming.

 

Her path was not without its challenges, but Lisa’s story is one of remarkable grace: she did not lose family or friends, she found herself. Beyond the page, Lisa has also stepped into the realm of politics, advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and standing as a powerful example of how trans voices can shape public life with dignity and purpose. In love, too, she has found joy and sanctuary, engaged to the woman who loves her for exactly who she is. Lisa Bunker is not only a writer of trans stories, but a writer of human stories. Her voice is thoughtful, lyrical, and grounded in a deep belief in the worth of every person. In this conversation, she opens up about her creative journey, her experience of transition, and the quiet power of simply not giving up. Let’s meet her.