Interview with with Riley

Monika: Today I am chatting with Riley, an American woman who chronicles her transition on social media. Hello Riley! Thank you for accepting my invitation.

Riley: Of course, thank you for the invitation.

Monika: Could you please introduce yourself and your background? 

Riley: I am not sure where to begin, but I will try to keep it brief. I am a 25-year-old wife and mother. I was a lifelong member of the Mormon church and even voluntarily worked for them full-time for two years across Southern Japan in my early adulthood. However, from as young as I can remember, I have had gender dysphoria. This caused internal hatred, pain, and confusion because Mormons aren’t allowed to transition and are told that God doesn’t make mistakes with gender. I felt completely alone and broken. As an adult, after much study of the religion’s historical inaccuracies, I was able to deconstruct my belief in the Mormon church. Once I left the religion, I realized transition was now an option, but felt like it was too late since my wife was expecting and I was worried that transition would cause a divorce and complicate my son’s life. After my son was born, the dysphoria-induced depression reached its peak.

Interview with Christina Vegas

Monika: Christina Vegas is my lovely guest today. Christina is an American singer and multi-vocal impersonator and has traveled the globe performing her variety show. She’s been a featured headliner on international cruise ships, casino showrooms, corporate events and USO tours of Bosnia and Kosovo, where she performed her one-person show for both the US and UN Peace Keeping Forces. She is the author of "Transformative Surgeries: What to Expect at Each Surgical Stage of your Transgender Journey" (2023). Hello Christina! 

Christina: Hi Monika! Thank you for reaching out.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Christina: I’m a middle-aged trans woman currently living in Canada. I’m a writer, performer, and producer, and I have two amazing daughters.

Monika: When did you decide to become a professional singer?

Christina: I’ve always loved singing. I was in a band when I was 16 and went on to study musical theatre in college. I’ve been a professional singer since then but I also write and produce film and theatre projects.

Interview with Revnika

Monika: Today I am chatting with Revnika, a Filipino lady living in the USA who chronicles her transition on social media. Hello Revnika! Thank you for accepting my invitation. 

Revnika: It’s an honor, Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Revnika: I’m from Pangasinan Philippines, and have traveled around since my father was in the Navy. I have lived in some countries and the US. Currently living in Oregon, and finally working on my goals to be the better person I was meant to be, my true self.

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

Revnika: I didn’t realize there were people like me who felt out of place so young, trying to find answers, and continuously finding my true self. Somehow just browsing the web and watching videos I came across stories and timelines that I relate with. My depression was getting worse, that it got out of hand, and I needed to find help. 39 years of my life I was not happy, and I needed to do something about it. I’m 42 now, and I wanted to be as inspiring as others who have helped me through the hardest times in my life, no one should ever feel lost, or alone. 

Liz Hodgkinson on Bodyshock: The Truth about Changing Sex

Monika: Today I have the sheer pleasure of talking to Liz Hodgkinson, a British prominent author and journalist who has written more than 50 books that have been translated into over 20 languages. She has also written articles for most of the major British national newspapers in London, and for magazines for women. And she is the author of “Bodyshock: The Truth about Changing Sex” (1987), one of the best journalism books on transsexuality, a book that is very dear to me too. Hello Liz! Thank you for accepting my invitation.

Liz: That’s OK. Happy to talk to you.

Monika: We have just entered into a brand new year. Do you have any special commitments for 2024?

Liz: Just to get my new books published!

Monika: Are you working on a new book now?

Liz: I have just finished a new book, titled: "A Mink Coat in St Neots: My Mother’s Flower Shop and the mystery of a Wealthy Russian Princess." It is an extraordinary true story, never before told, and will be published this Autumn by Mount Orleans Press.

Interview with Caragh

Monika: Today let me share the story of Caragh, an American producer and writer, known for her work on series such as Behind the Music, The Late Late Show With Craig Kilborn, The Queen Latifah Show, and The Kelly Clarkson Show. She’s won two Emmy Awards for her work on the latter series. She has also worked as a reporter for People Magazine, executive editor at TV Guide Magazine and as a freelance correspondent for The Hollywood Reporter, Emmy Magazine, the New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times. She’s also written two books. Hello Caragh! Thank you for accepting my invitation.

Caragh: It’s a sincere pleasure to speak to you. I started reading your interviews way back when I was so far back in the closet, even my childhood t-shirts and shoes were easier to find. Seriously, I used them as motivation to transition myself. Your site is incredibly aspirational, and I dreamed of one day being worthy enough to be included. So it’s truly an honor to be with you.

Interview with Yasmin Lee

Monika: It has been 8 years since my first interview with Yasmin Lee, an American entertainer and adult movie actress, TV celebrity, model, and make-up artist. So I am happy to reconnect with Yasmin to talk about what has happened in her life and professional career in recent years.

Hello Yasmin! I am an old woman now and you are still young and beautiful. How have you been doing this?

Yasmin: Wow, it really has been a while! As for staying young, I have no idea. I don’t go out much or drink heavily or do drugs. There’s only so much we can do. We came from nothing, created a life of our own and one day retreat back to dust, leaving a trail of faint memories until one day we are forgotten entirely.

Monika: When we did the first interview in 2015, you could already boast the roles of Kimmy in „The Hangover Part II” (2011) and The Succubus in „Red Ice” (2011), and you won the audition for the role of Ying in Promoted (2015). Are you happy about the way your acting career has progressed since then?

Yasmin: Acting had never really been my focus. It seems that all of the acting roles that came across my path seem to do so with a little luck. To that extent I am happy. So much has happened in my personal life that acting has never been my main priority. There are opportunities that piped up and some you just have to say no to.