Interview with Dallas Denny

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Dallas Denny, a writer, editor, behavior analyst, pioneer, and leader in the transgender rights movement in the USA, recipient of IFGE's Trinity and Virginia Prince Lifetime Achievement Awards and Real Life Experience's Transgender Pioneer Award. Hello Dallas!

Dallas: Hi, Monika, and thanks so much for having me!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?
Dallas: Let’s see, what do I want to say about myself… I live in a tiny town called Pine Lake, population 800, which happens to be in the middle of Metropolitan Atlanta, just 10 miles from downtown. It was started in the 1930s as a lake community resort so Atlantans could vacation in the country.
Today Pine Lake still looks like a girl scout camp, heavily wooded with cabins and cottages and of course a lake, but the city extends 50 miles past it! My house is mere feet from the lake, and all of the lake is a park. The town is filled with artists and interesting people of all sorts—and several other transpeople live here.

Interview with Miss saHHara

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honour to interview Miss saHHara, a British Nigerian model, singer, beauty queen and LGBT activist, known for representing Nigeria in international beauty pageants to draw attention to the plights of LGBTQI+ people in Africa. In 2011, she was the first Nigerian trans woman to participate in the Miss International Queen beauty pageant in Pattaya, Thailand. Hello Miss saHHara!

Miss saHHara: Hi Monika!

Monika: Some critics compare your voice to that of Nina Simone. Do you have any singers that you admire and draw inspirations from?

Miss saHHara: Yes, I have been told I sound like Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and Heather Small from M-People. I find it humbling because they are the greats! I am influenced by the looks, glamour and stage presence of Shirley Bassey.

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

Miss saHHara: I began singing and writing songs at the age of twelve in Nigeria. I found solace in music through the church due to a rather troubled/confused childhood because of the identity I was assigned at birth. So, when I moved to the United Kingdom to live my life openly, I decided to pursue my music career a bit farther.

I have a singing residency in a lovely venue in London for the past 10 years. Music is my life, being creative in writing and producing gives me joy and satisfaction. I have written and produced over fifty songs, I am planning to release an album in the future.

Interview with Kat Haché

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Kat Haché, an American video blogger that documents her transition on YouTube. Hello Kat!

Kat: Hello Monika! Thanks for reaching out to interview me.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Kat: Well, I am a transgender woman from East Tennessee. I’m currently in graduate school getting my masters in archival studies. I’m interested in trans representation and the diversity transgender narrative in the archive.

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

Kat: Well, like I said, I’m interested in personal narratives. I think they are incredibly powerful and inspirational for others who have experienced or are experiencing the same sorts of things as the person relaying that narrative. For transgender people, we are so used to being articulated by society in less than flattering terms rather than articulating our own narratives and identities on our own terms, with our own discourse.

With that video I really wanted to challenge the narrative that there was one crystallizing moment that I *knew* that I was trans, and instead I wanted to articulate how it was a gradual discovery and a gradual deconstruction of this imposed narrative of who I was supposed to be and this imposed dialogue that I had to use to describe myself and limit who I could be at any of the stages mentioned.

Interview with Addie Vincent

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honour to interview Addie Vincent, a Chapman University student that made history as the first transgender contestant in Delta Tau Delta’s philanthropy pageant. Hello Addie!

Addie: Hello, Monika! Thanks for having me!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Addie: Of course. My name is Addie and I’m a senior at Chapman University. I was born in Canada, raised in Michigan, and currently attending school in sunny California. I identify as a Trans* person, more specifically as a gender queer person with they/them/their preferred gender pronouns.

Interview with Cadence Matthews

Monika: Today’s interview will be with Cadence W. Matthews, a young transgender woman from Canada. Hello Cadence!

Cadence: Hi Monika; thank you for having me.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Cadence: Well, I am 27, I work in the hair extension industry, as well as doing some acting, singing, and other artistic pursuits. 

Monika: Why did you decide to share your transition details in the media?

Cadence: I think it's important to share my journey as a way of giving back to the community. Trans visibility has only recently increased in a positive way , and I want to be a part of that.

Interview with Amanda Watson

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honour to interview Amanda Nicole Watson, a USN Veteran, healthcare worker, activist and transgender woman from California, USA. Hello Amanda!

Amanda: Hello Monika, what an honor for you to ask me for an interview, I feel humble in this moment. I think talking about one’s self is always challenging.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?
Amanda: Gladly, I am a 46 year old transgender woman, living California’s Central Valley. I work in the healthcare business. In my line of work I try to be an outspoken advocate for LGBT related issues in healthcare. As well as taking away the stigma that some try to place on transgender people.
Monika: At what age did you transition into woman yourself? Was it a difficult process? Did you have any support from your family or friends?
Amanda: My transition did not fully start until I was in my thirties. I had known since age 5 that I was a little girl. However, the world around did not seem to embrace the same thoughts. Around the age of 15 I had a traumatic event that occurred. This event made me despise weaknesses that I saw within myself.
In addition, I was filled with confusion over my gender and sexuality. This took me years to overcome, undoing self hatred and stereotypes. Shortly after getting out of the US Navy, I started to realize that I was not alone. Friends in the San Diego community helped my through the process. As well as a supportive family, who have continued to do their best to support and love me.