Interview with Melony VonKruz

Monika: Today I have invited Melony VonKruz, a young American video blogger, showgirl, and beauty pageant queen from Florida. Melony documents her transition on YouTube where she shares the most interesting aspects of her life as a transgender woman. Hello Melony!

Melony: Hello Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Melony: Well I'm 24 Years old, I live in the city of Brotherly Love (Philly) and currently I'm a video blogger on YouTube who deals with Trans related Issues.

Monika: Why did you decide to share your transition details on YouTube?

Melony: I really just wanted to put my stories and experiences out there to share with other people under the Trans* Umbrella but most specifically other Trans Women. I found that there were some things missing in other bloggers' videos that I wanted to cover or cover in a different way than they had.

Interview with Jenny-Anne Bishop

Monika: Today I have invited Jenny-Anne Bishop, a British transgender activist and former sales and marketing manager in scientific instruments. She is a graduate in industrial chemistry and a staunch advocate of the Transgender and LGBT communities. Jenny-Anne is a lay pastoral leader and Board of Directors member of the Manchester Metropolitan Community Church, a member of the Westminster Parliamentary Forum on Gender Identity, and a trustee for several LGBT organizations. Sie is also a member of many organizations and steering groups on reporting and reducing hate crime and on equality and diversity standards. She is living with her partner Elen in Rhyl, North Wales. Hello Jenny-Anne!

Jenny-Anne: Hello Monika, Thank you so much for asking me to do this interview, I feel quite humbled to be included in your series of outstanding Trans People.

Monika: What are you doing for a living these days?

Jenny-Anne: Well I've been retired for over 5 years now, so I am able to devote my time to trying to help and improve life for all our Trans* community.

I'm also an active member of the LGBT Church I attend in Manchester and lobby for LGBT Christian rights and acceptance. I guess it's about making every aspect of life Trans friendly because being trains is pervasive, it affects every aspect and corner of your life.

Interview with Ashlee Edwards

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Ashlee Edwards, a young American video blogger that documents her transition on YouTube. Hello Ashlee!

Ashlee: Hi Monika, it's a pleasure talking with you today.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Ashlee: Sure, I'm 19 years old, really into film and television producing, and just like to go hiking and relax.

Monika: Why did you decide to share your transition details on YouTube?

Ashlee: I decided to share my transition in a hope to show that it is OK to be yourself, and to show other girls like me that you're not alone in this.

Interview with Liliana

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Liliana, a young American video blogger from Texas that documents her transition on her vlog on YouTube titled "Sincerely, Liliana". Hello Liliana!

Liliana: Hello Monika! Thank you so much for this opportunity!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Liliana: Well I'm a 23-year-old girl from Texas. I'm a freelance hairstylist/makeup artist and I make beauty as well as transition videos on YouTube.

Monika: Why did you decide to share your transition details on YouTube?

Liliana: Well I remember back when I was still in the early stages of my transition I stumbled across a few trans women who were documenting their transition on YouTube. At the time I was feeling very alone, and even though I had such amazingly supportive friends and family, it was hard to talk to them about the things I was going through. So I turned to these women's videos and it really helped me get through those rough times.

Interview with Braylen

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Braylen, a young video blogger that documents her transition on YouTube. Hello Braylen!

Braylen: Hello Monika! Thank you for having me!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Braylen: Sure, a 24-year-old aspiring model, bi-racial background, and just an all-around free-spirited individual. I hope that was enough.

Monika: Why did you decide to share your transition details on YouTube? 

Braylen: I decided to share my transition on YouTube with hopes that it would shine a little more light on Transgenders and some of what we have to go through on a day-to-day basis. I also feel my videos can help new Transgenders in their development as I have talked about hormones and important topics regarding our health in a few videos.

Interview with Paula Nielsen

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Sister Paula Nielsen with whom I would like to discuss the role of religion in the life of the transgender community. Paula is also known as America's foremost transgendered evangelist. She was born in Portland, Oregon. In the 1980s, she performed a regular nightclub act at the legendary drag club, Darcelle XV in downtown Portland.

After starting her career as "the world's first trans-evangelist", Paula was invited to a series of television shows including the Joan Rivers Show, The Daily Show with Craig Kilborn, and Saturday Night Clive for the BBC. Her Sister Paula Show was also seen on cable access stations in Seattle and Los Angeles. She is the author of The Trans-Evangelist: The Life and Times of A Transgender Pentecostal Preacher (2012). Hello Paula!

Paula: Hello Monika!

Monika: You have just published your autobiography titled “The Trans Evangelist”. How would you recommend the book to the readers of this interview?

Paula: It is a chronicle of seven decades. The 1940's through the 2lst Century. What it was like to grow up trans in the 1940s and 1950s when the word trans was unheard of. It has a history of religious movements and the changing explosive times throughout the decades.

Transitioning my identity to Paula in 1963 was much different than it is today. I am hoping that future generations of trans youth will appreciate what trans pioneers went through to pave the path for them.