Interview with Sara-Jane Cromwell

Monika: The lovely city of Cork in Ireland is the home of my today’s guest. Sara-Jane Cromwell is an Irish groundbreaking author and educator, trainer, mentor, and life coach on Gender Identity and Gender Dysphoria. She is also an inspirational figure for people going through many of life’s difficulties. She is the author of "Becoming Myself: The True Story of Thomas Who Became Sara" (2008), "Wrong Body, Wrong Life: Living with Gender Identity Disorder in Ireland" (2010), and "No Ordinary Life" (2021). Hello Sara-Jane!

Sara-Jane: Hello Monika. Thank you for having me.

Monika: You grew up in Ballyfermot, a suburb of Dublin in the 1960s, in a very conservative environment where you're being different was not tolerated at all. The readers may not believe it but you were regarded as "retarded" because you were left-handed…

Sara-Jane: Yes, Monika, unfortunately, all that is true and it caused me huge trauma, which still profoundly affects my life to the present day. Being left-handed in the 60s and 70s was truly terrible and along with being treated as retarded exposed me to frequent bullying and abuse, including beatings at home, in school and while out and about; and a great deal of name calling and rejection.

Interview with Divina Loloma

Monika: Today let me take you to Fiji, an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. This is where I am meeting our sister Divina Loloma. Divina is a transgender politician and activist. She is the first known transwoman to have contested Fiji’s General Election, under the National Federation Party banner. Hello Divina!

Divina: Hello Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Divina: l am Divina Loloma, a Fijian lslander and transgender woman. 

Monika: Many of us live the lives of wives, mothers, and daughters, trying to forget about our past. You have decided to be an advocate of transgender rights and be vocal about our positive image in society. Have you ever felt the temptation of being in the closet, being a woman rather than a transgender woman?

Divina: I am a mature transwoman with a goal to always make a difference in the ever-changing world.

Interview with Shelli Renee Joye

Monika: Shelli Renee Joye, an American scientist, academic, painter, philosopher, and author, is my special guest today. Shelli is an amazing woman being able to explore her talents in such different areas as hard sciences, spirituality, consciousness, and painting. She authored many publications on the physics of consciousness. In 2022, she published her biography “My Transition Journal: A Transgender Arc of Self-Discovery”. Hello Shelli! 

Shelli: Hello Monika!

Monika: Your life is a constant travel. Born in Port O’Spain, Trinidad, you lived in Panama, Florida, New York, Saudi Arabia, London, and now Italy. Is Italy your final destination, the place where you want to settle down for good?

Shelli: Yes, I have fled California with its dreadful forest fires that threatened our cedar cabin every summer, and the redneck Trumpist fundamentalists that in their ignorance are destroying what was once a workable democracy in America.

Interview with Courtnei Lee

Monika: My guest today is Courtnei Lee, a Canadian entrepreneur, trans activist, businesswoman, and founder of OYT Cosmetics - a cosmetic line that was made for the LGBTQ+ community, especially for trans people who face discrimination and segregation daily. Hello Courtnei! Thank you for accepting my invitation.

Courtnei: Thank you so much for having me! It’s an honor to be a part of such a beautiful blog!

Monika: I remember when I was at the very start of my transition and I went to a beauty shop to buy my female cosmetics for the first time, and I was totally overwhelmed by the number of products. The beauty industry is probably one of the most competitive industries. 

Courtnei: It’s definitely one of the most competitive and the problem is with all these huge brands, we're still not seeing proper representation! That’s something that we are working really hard to try and change.

Interview with Katherine Wolfgramme

Monika: Katherine Wolfgramme, an Australian trans advocate, award-winning gender diversity consultant, and trans awareness trainer, is with me today to talk about her amazing advocacy work and challenges related to being a transgender woman. Katherine is the Board Director at Qtopia Sydney Pride Museum, Ambassador of the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, and Sydney World Pride Rainbow Champion. She used to hold different advocate positions in Australia, including the Ambassador of The Gender Centre, Board Associate of Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, Public Officer of Wear It Purple, Producer of Sydney Transgender Day of Remembrance, and contributing writer and journalist for Star Observer based in Sydney. She is also a proud and prominent member of Sydney’s LGBT community. Hello Katherine!

Katherine: Hello Monika, thank you for the lovely introduction!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Katherine: I was born in Fiji in 1972 and arrived in Australia in 1974, I was born with gender dysphoria and transitioned when I was 18 in 1990, much has changed in 33 years and I am very pleased to have witnessed positive change for the Transgender Population in Australia.

Interview with Chris

Monika: Today let me introduce you to Chris, an American woman from New Jersey that documents her transition on social media. Hello Chris!

Chris: Hi Monika, it’s an honor to connect with you again and I am so happy to share my story and be a part of this illustrious group of sisters. You asked me to do this a few years ago when I was so busy but I wouldn't miss the chance to take part again… Thanks again for asking me,  and you are a special woman!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Chris: Well, I am so excited to be asked to participate in this first of all. I am 60 years old and I have known I was a woman born in the wrong body since around 8 and started dressing and experimenting with matching my body/dress to my inner soul around that time. I played HS Football and ran sprints for the track team. During this time in my youth, I was a boy scout who loved camping and the outdoors and obtained the Eagle Scout award. I had all kinds of traditional macho jobs like landscaping while in college I dated women and adored women with all my heart but longed to be living as a female.