Interview with Casey Plett

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Casey Plett, an American transgender writer, author of "Other Women", featured in Topside Press‘s "The Collection: Short Fiction from the Transgender Vanguard". Hello Casey!

Casey: Hi Monika! Before we start, I must apologetically let you know I am actually living in Canada as of this January, so I'm only sort of American at the moment!

Monika: How did you start writing?

Casey: Well I've always read. I think I was eight when I got this idea that being a writer would be cool, and then I alternated writing sad or wacky shit off and on through my pre-teen and teen years.

A month before my nineteenth birthday, I was in Seattle for a weekend and suddenly in a rush just started writing down everything that had happened to me in the preceding months and that's when I thought "Nah, I'm really gonna give this writing thing a go, I'm actually gonna try and do this."

And like lots followed after like I did a bunch of schools, and I had periods where I didn't write and just smoked weed and got drunk. But that weekend in Seattle is the turning point that exists in my head, I guess.

Interview with Britany Somers

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Britany Somers, an American transgender radio host, comedian, and transgender advocate. Hello Britany!

Britany: Hi Monika.

Monika: Could you say a few words about your career so far?

Britany: Like most terrestrial broadcasters licensed prior to the '96 Telecom Act, it's over. The little show I have keeps my toe in the rapidly evaporating water. That's about it.

Monika: How long have you been producing the Boca Show? Which topics does it focus on?

Britany: The show is in its third year. Seriously thinking of just renaming it The Brit Somers Show. “Boca” is a well-known nickname from the Neil Rogers Show which I was part of for 20 years. I kept it for the local South Florida listeners familiar with my material. Too parochial for online. My show is intentionally General Interest. (AOR; All Over the Road).

Interview with Ivory Oasis

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Ivory Oasis (Dani Landers), a young video blogger that documents her transition on YouTube. Ivory runs Studio Fawn where she is responsible for art, writing, and design. Hello Ivory!

Ivory: Hi there! :)

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Ivory: Basically I’m an artist/game developer living in LA. My life pretty much revolves around that, and of course, in my extra time, I try to move ahead with transitioning. Feel free to check out my current project “Bloom: Memories” (studiofawn.com).

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

Ivory: When I was first exploring the possibility of transitioning I remember finding transition videos of other people. Just being able to see the effects of hormones or surgeries and other transition experiences helped me get a much better idea of what was possible for myself. Without those videos, it would have been a much scarier proposition to begin transitioning. So, I’m just doing my part to help those who are now facing the same challenges I was.

Interview with Lynda Oudenhoven

Monika: Today I would like to introduce to you Lynda Oudenhoven, an American mechanic and video blogger that documents her transition on YouTube. Hello Lynda!

Lynda: Hi Monika and thank you for inviting me to be part of your interview series, it's a pleasure to meet you.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Lynda: Sure, I'm a 51-year-old Denver Police Fleet Mechanic. I have another 3 years, 9 months until I retire, after 27 years of service, and pursue other employment interests. I have a beautiful 29-year-old daughter and I live with my two dogs and one cat near the foothills of Denver Colorado.

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

Lynda: Probably for a couple of reasons. I wanted to have something for my daughter to remember this time. Something she can look at long after I'm gone. I also wanted to share with other women in the community, that might be contemplating transitioning/surgery, so as to provide some comfort for them. If I can overcome my fears/anxieties... anybody can.

Interview with Susan Jane Bigelow

Monika: Today let me present Susan Jane Bigelow, an American transgender writer, librarian, political columnist, and author of "Ramona’s Demons", featured in Topside Press: “The Collection: Short Fiction from the Transgender Vanguard”. Susan writes a weekly political column for the outstanding Connecticut political news website, CT News Junkie, where she focuses on politics inside and relevant to the Nutmeg State. In 2005-2010, she wrote for the Connecticut political blog CT Local Politics. Hello Susan!

Susan: Hello, Monika! Thank you for having me.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Susan: Sure. I’m a librarian, a political columnist, and a writer. I live with my wife in the northeastern United States. I’m the author of the Extrahumans series, the Grayline Sisters series, and you can find my writing in QUEERS DIG TIME LORDS as well as the Topside Press COLLECTION.

Monika: How did you start writing?

Susan: I’ve always been a writer, even when I was little. I would make up stories, and my mother would encourage me to write them down. I can’t imagine myself without writing at this point.

Interview with Carol Mapley

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Carol Mapley, a Scottish nationalist, LGBT activist, and a former policewoman. She served in the RAF’s Observer Corps for 18 years. Her police career started in 1977 when she joined Grampian Police. She is Scottish Labour’s first transgender election candidate for the Castle Douglas and Glenken council seat. Hello Carol!

Carol: Hi Monika! It's lovely to speak to you.

Monika: Could you say a few words about your career so far?

Carol: I’ve had two distinct career strands to date – the police and mental health. I work within the Police Service of Scotland where I help formulate national policy and service delivery in relation to transgendered officers and staff as well as the transgendered people that we the police come into contact with every day in Scotland.

I play an active role in delivering mental health, and trans awareness training at our national police college in Fife. I also serve as a director of a major Scottish mental health charity – Vox Scotland. Vox is a charity that represents the views of mental health service users in the planning and provision of mental health services within Scotland.