Interview with Petra Wenham

Monika: Today I have the pleasure and honor of interviewing Petra Wenham, a British woman from Suffolk, UK, the first transgender woman to star on the front cover of the Women’s Institute magazine, WI Life. The Women's Institute is a community-based organization for women in the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, and New Zealand. Petra is a speaker and activist for a Suffolk chapter of the branch, the Cake and Revolution WI. Hello Petra!

Petra: Hi, to give your readers some additional background. The WI in the UK is a charitable organization and started in 1915 although its roots are in the late nineteenth century in Canada. There are numerous local WI groups organized into geographic federations generally based on a County. These county federations are in turn federated together under the national federation (www.nfwi.org.uk). It is the national federation that publishes the WI Life magazine and who commissioned the feature article on myself.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Petra: I am a retired 74-year-old transgender woman who transitioned to living full-time as a woman in 2018. I’m married and earlier in 2021 we celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary and we have two children and two grandchildren.

Interview with Jessica Crockett

Monika: Today I have invited a special guest. Jessica Crockett is an American actress, model, and admirer of Arabian horses. She was the first-ever trans actress to play a trans woman on American television in an episode of Dark Angel (2001), the well-known TV series with Jessica Alba in the main role. Hello Jessica!

Jessica: Hi Monika! A pleasure to meet you.

Monika: How are you doing in these crazy pandemic times?

Jessica: Very well thank you. Staying safe and fully vaccinated.

Monika: It has been 20 years since your appearance as Louise in the Dark Angel series. How do you recall this role?

Jessica: The first thing that comes to mind was how hard it was to land in this role. In the business, it's called a principle role. Lots of barriers to overcome. The audition process was super grueling. I was prepared though. I was obsessed with the art of acting and studied with the best.

My very wise acting coach said, "Forget everything you've learned and be yourself." That was the hardest part. Playing a trans character was extremely challenging for me. 20 years ago survival was the main priority. To survive back then you had to blend in. Be stealthy.

Interview with Jessa Kay

Monika: Today I would like to introduce to you Jessa Kay, an inspirational woman from California, the USA, that shares her story on social media. Jessa and I are going to talk about being trans and the challenges related to her fascinating journey towards womanhood. Hello Jessa!

Jessa: Hi Monika!!! Thank you for selecting me to interview.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Jessa: I’m a 39-year-old transgender woman. Originally from West Virginia, currently living in Los Angeles, CA.

Monika: What inspired you to share your intimate life moments via social media?

Jessa: There was a time when I was coming to terms with my internal struggle of knowing that in my heart, mind, and soul that I was a woman. I took comfort and drew inspiration from other transgender women who were brave enough to share their journey. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, I feel it is my responsibility to share my journey with other budding transwomen who might need some comfort and inspiration.

Interview with Aeri Gosselin

Monika: Today I have the pleasure and honor of interviewing Aeri Gosselin, an American scientist and transgender woman that shares her transition story on social media. Hello Aeri!

Aeri: Hi Monika! Thank you so much for the introduction and for taking the time to chat with me!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Aeri: I am a 27 year old transgender American, raised in Vermont. When I wasn’t in school or skiing I was generally eating fresh maple syrup on snow from a horse trough. I have just completed a five-year Ph.D. program in inorganic chemistry where I studied a class of porous materials known as porous coordination cages.

And most recently I’ve moved to Berkeley CA to begin a career as a synthetic chemist making materials to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When I am not in the lab I enjoy spending time in nature, reading, painting, and caring for my plants!

Interview with Greta Brown

Monika: Today I have the pleasure and honor of interviewing Greta Brown, an American businesswoman, and transgender woman that shares her transition story on social media. Hello Greta!

Greta: Hello Thank you for this opportunity. I've never done this type of Q & A, so please forgive me for any disjointed content.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Greta: I've always been a free thinker and felt a strong connection with the underdogs of the world. I'm a little older and a child of the '60s. I very much identify with LGB'T'Q+ community even before I transitioned or knew I was transgender. Come this year I'll be 53, I have waited long enough to be my true self. Life is too short to NOT be happy. The most difficult thing to overcome other than dysphoria is to find self-love, both are things I/we constantly strive to find peace with.

Monika: What inspired you to share your intimate life moments via social media?

Greta: I don't know how intimate any of these moments really are. The platform you solicited me on has a bit of anonymity, however, if someone really wanted to find out about me they could. So I am open to an extent, as well as I want to let others know it's okay to be yourself. I don't have 2 fucks to give. I am proud of WHO, and proud of WHAT I am!

Interview with Juliana

Monika: Today I have the pleasure and honor of interviewing Juliana, an American Mom, geek girl, musician, guitar player, and transgender woman that shares her transition story on social media. Hello Juliana!

Juliana: Hey Monika! Thank you for thinking of me. No one's ever asked to interview me like this before, I'm a bit nervous. :)

Monika: Haha, do not worry, I am sure you will be OK. Could you say a few words about yourself?

Juliana: I grew up as a shy, quiet only-child in the suburbs of Long Island, NY. My mother had a background in art, and my father played guitar, both of which heavily influenced my childhood years. The guitar became my outlet for self-expression, which led me to play in bands starting around 6th grade. I was always the kid who would teach anyone that wanted to learn, which is a trait that I still have today. As computers became more of a household item in the very early 90's I immersed myself in them, and by my junior year in high school, I was doing tech support part-time at a major news company.