Interview with Caisie Breen

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Caisie Breen, transgender writer, the author of the biographical book titled “Songbyrd: Becoming She” (2016). Hello Caisie!

Caisie: Hello Monika. Thank you for taking the time to interview me.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Caisie: I’m 61 years old and have been married to the same lovely woman for over 36 years. We have two adult sons and are owners of a small plumbing and electrical service company in Portland, Oregon.

Monika: Why did you decide to write your memoir?

Caisie: Frankly, I think it’s one of the boilerplate recommendations given to transgender people by our therapists, early on, as a way to help us transition. I got my advice years ago and immediately began keeping journals.

Interview with Renee Norlander

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Renee Norlander, writer, blogger, the author of the biographical book titled “Life from Both Sides: Deciphering the Transgendered Mind” (2015). Hello Renee!

Renee: Hi, Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Renee: In addition to being a mid-forties transwoman with grace and dignity, I am a published author, screenwriter, and co-owner of Risa Tortuga productions. I am recently divorced from a 15-year relationship that garnered two wonderful and beautiful children.

I suffered through the vast majority of my life thinking I was wrong for feeling the way I did. Having thoughts of changing my gender in such a way as to live as a woman, the woman I always felt I was meant to be.

Interview with Allison Annalora - Part 2

Monika: Allison, I am so delighted that I can interview you again! Let me briefly introduce you to those who have not read our first interview. Allison Lenore Annalora - a talented singer and remarkable woman, star of Cabaret Troupe, an admirer of Barbra Streisand, hairstylist, and the author of the recently published biography titled “Late Blooming: My Gender Journey”.

Allison: Thank you Monika for asking me to be interviewed!!

Monika: You look fantastic … It has been 4 years since our first interview. What has changed in your life since then?

Allison: Well, my boyfriend of six years moved in with me four years ago, and we’re still going strong. I appeared a second time at The McCallum Theatre, in their annual talent contest in 2015, as one of 25 finalists in front of an audience of 1,200. I didn’t win, but I sure had fun! I star in my own cabaret show, “Call Me Diva” every other month at a local restaurant.

Interview with Therese Wonnacott

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Therese Wonnacott, aka Aunty Anita, a Hawaiian Pioneer and former beauty pageant promoter, and transgender activist for Transwomen of Color. Hello Therese. I am so happy to interview such an icon!

Therese: Thank you, it is a pleasure, Monika!

Monika: You look fantastic, Therese. What is the secret of your beauty?
Therese: Well, I am lucky to get my beauty from the ethnic background of being a Hawaiian Asian mixture. All women in my family have beautiful skin. They also taught me not to try going in the sun, and if I do, only with sunblock or wearing a big hat to protect my skin. 
I drink lots of water. I eat a healthy meal, plus I apply a natural skin cream or virgin coconut oil on my face before going to bed each night. Being 63 I am lucky I do not look my age.

Interview with Daliah Husu

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Daliah Husu, an American writer, poet, former stage artist, the author of the biographical book titled “I Am Woman: Surviving the Past, the Present, & the Future” (2016). Hello Daliah!

Daliah: Hello Monika! Thank you for this opportunity to interview with you and for taking interest in me and my book.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Daliah: Well, I could say more than a few words about myself (laughing out loud), but I’ll try to keep it short and sweet…

I’m originally from the Caribbean, but I was raised in the United States. I’ve always been an artistically inclined individual, especially fond of visual arts, poetry, and music. I’m a big sucker for Latin love songs, which tells you that I’m also a very passionate person. I’ve been around and have worked in the fashion, beauty, and entertainment industries.

Interview with Griffin Rae Birdsong

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Griffin Rae Birdsong, an American poet, writer, official blogger, and contributor to the Death Rattle Writer's Festival, and member of Idaho's 2015 National Poetry Slam Team, the author of the biographical book titled “A Pansexual Adventure Through Time: A Transition Autobiography” (2016). Hello Griffin Rae!

Griffin Rae: Howdy! And thank you so much for interviewing me! I feel so special! 

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Griffin Rae: Oh, I’m just your average 26-year-old trans woman looking for a purpose in life. I’m a chronically unemployed college dropout. I was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho and I currently live in Boise, Idaho. Lucky for me there is an excellent artistic community that has accepted me for who I am and allowed me to flourish as a fledgling performance poet.

Monika: Is there anything like transgender literature?

Griffin Rae: Yes and no. On one hand, the transition autobiography genre is a fairly new and emerging trend in literature. On the other hand, I think it’s important to remember that transgender literature is human literature. While trans narratives seem new and exciting to most people, I’m certainly not the first to feel this way and I’m sure that anyone who has ever set out to find themselves could relate.