Interview with Andrea James

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Andrea James, a very prolific American artist, writer, film producer, director, businesswoman, and LGBT rights activist. Hello Andrea!

Andrea: Hi Monika—thanks for interviewing me!

Monika: Having so many talents, which profession do you enjoy most?
Andrea: I enjoy writing educational information because that fulfills my interest in teaching. Unfortunately, we live in a world where a large swath of people can’t be reached through the written word, so I also work in film and television.

Monika: In 2003, together with your business partner and entertainer Calpernia Addams, you co-founded Deep Stealth Productions to provide services to the transgender community. How successful is the company?

Andrea: I feel that our success is best measured by the nice letters and hugs we get from people who have been helped or moved by our work. We were never out to become rich selling specialty videos, and it’s not a big money-maker anyway. We often supplement the income from our work for the trans community through other kinds of production. Calpernia and I do not need a lot to live the lives we want, and that has freed us up to work on projects that are important to us.

Interview with Rajée Rajindra Narinesingh

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Rajée Rajindra Narinesingh, an American transgender activist, author of Beyond Face Value, and actress. Hello Rajée! 

Rajée: Hello Monika!

Monika: In your autobiography titled “Beyond Face Value” you share your story of the botched facial surgery and facial injections done by Oneal Morris aka “Duchess”. Was it difficult to write such a book?

Rajée: Beyond Face Value is my 4th book but it was the hardest to write because I wanted to be as authentic to my story as possible. There were things I wrote about that stirred up many different emotions.

Interview with Jenna Fischetti

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Jenna Fischetti, an inspirational woman, transgender advocate and activist, a contributor to The Transadvocate. Jenna is the founder of TransMaryland, an organization serving the Maryland transgender and ally communities by providing services, education, support, and advocacy. She served as facilitator of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland’s (The GLCCB) Gender Identity Groups from 2006 to 2011. Hello Jenna!

Jenna: Hello Monika!

Monika: You are very active in the promotion of transgender equality in Maryland. Could you name some of your successful campaigns or projects in this respect?

Jenna: Let me first thank individuals like Jessica Xavier, Alyson Meiselman, Donna Cartwright, Falina Laron, Cydne’ Kimbrough, Lauren Stokeling, Monica Yorkman, Jean-Michel Brevelle, Frannie O’Grady, Dana Beyer, Laura Hart, Owen Smith, Mara Drummond, Alex Hickcox, Caroline Temmermand, Sharon Brackett, Ezra Towne, J.D. Rosario, Keith Thirion, and so many others who have contributed to the advancement of rights and acceptance of trans Marylanders. I am blessed to have worked with many of them. To name any successes would be to name the community’s successes.

Interview with Kayla Ward

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

Kayla: Hi, thanks for contacting me.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Kayla: I am finally happy now that I can be on the outside who I have always been on the inside. I have been living full-time for a little over a year now and have loved every minute of it!

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

Kayla: I followed many girls like me for years and was inspired by their journey and wanted to share the same inspiration with others.

Interview with Kayhar

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Kayhar, a talented and inspirational singer that documents her transition on YouTube. Hello Kayhar!

Kayhar: Hi Monika! Thank you for inviting me.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Kayhar: Sure thing. My name is KAYHAR, I’m an Artist and Trans Activist.

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

Kayhar: I always wanted to make one of my own, but I wanted mine to be memorable. I also wanted an opportunity to introduce myself as a singer. Eventually, I came up with the idea to combine both in 1 video.

Interview with Esben Esther Pirelli Benestad

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Esben Esther Pirelli Benestad, a physician, sexologist, and professor of sexology, known as one of Norway's most prominent transpeople. In 2002, her son Even Benestad presented her story in the documentary All About My Father (Alt om min far). In 2007, she participated in the reality TV series Skal vi danse. She was also a political candidate for the Liberal Party, a social liberal political party in Norway. Hello Esther!

Esben Esther: Hello Monica and thanks for including me in your row of interviews! 

Monika: You are the author of several textbooks about transgenderism, including “Kjønn i bevegelse” (2001), Transseksualisme - hvor går vi og hvor står vi? (2002) and Transekjønn og diagnoser (2004), and Sexologi I Praksis (2006). Is it difficult to study and write about the phenomenon that you face yourself in your life?

Esben Esther: An era of therapeutic thinking emphasized the neutrality of the therapist, one should not “over-identify” with the clients. In the wake of this thinking, one came to consider it wrong for homosexually talented people to offer therapy to other homosexuals, and certainly also for the transgifted to offer therapy to their kinds.