Interview with Adriana Roberts

Monika: Today I am going to interview Adriana Roberts, an American performer, DJ, event producer, and model. She is the founder and Queen Mother of Bootie Mashup, a nightlife and music brand dedicated to the art form of the pop mashup, producing theme parties and live streams. Hello Adriana!

Adriana: Hello Monika!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Adriana: Sassy, smart, and sexy. There, that’s a few.

Monika: Adriana is a nice name. Why did you choose it?

Adriana: How do you know I wasn’t born with it? Actually, the name is a variation of a character’s name from the 1981 cult film “Liquid Sky.” 

Monika: I always wanted to have dreadlocks like you. How long have you been wearing them?

Adriana: After Burning Man 2003, my hair was already dreading, from all the dust storms that year out in the desert. Rather than deal with untangling it, my stylist suggested I just go all the way with it (but with better salon care, of course). And the rest is history. I’ve had dreadlocks ever since.

Interview with Eva Echo

Monika: Today I am going to take you for a journey to the city of Birmingham, in the West Midlands, England, where I am meeting Eva Echo, an inspirational lady that loves tattoos. Eva is a transactivist and Ambassador of the London Transgender Clinic. Hello Eva!

Eva: Hi, it’s lovely to meet you!!

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Eva: I’m an activist, blogger, and spokesperson based in Birmingham, UK. I’m a brand Ambassador for London Transgender Clinic, an activist and trans spokesperson for the charity Gendered Intelligence and I also sit on the Crown Prosecution Service’s panel for hate crime.

Monika: Why did you choose Eva for your name?

Eva: My name comes from my friends’ band name, Eva Plays Dead. Prior to coming out and transitioning, they had some instruments stolen from their band van. I set up a crowdfunding page to raise money for replacements and I said that I’d legally include Eva as part of my name if we hit the target. We did hit the target and I did change my name. When I subsequently transitioned, I chose to keep Eva as my first name.

Interview with Jamie Berthon

Monika: Today I am going to host Jamie Berthon, an Australian model, videographer, future personal trainer, social media influencer, and transgender woman that shares her transition story on social media. Hello Jamie!

Jamie: Hey Monika, I'm hoping to explore myself through this as much as anyone else wants to listen.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Jamie: Well, I'm Jamie and I am trying to kick start my career as a model, and learning about fitness to eventually become a personal trainer along with it. I started hormones in January of 2019 and properly came out in January of 2020. Along with those huge moments for me, I've been enjoying life to its fullest.

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

Jamie: I have had a lot of great friends over the Internet that I have helped in certain aspects, mostly regarding fitness. I want to share my experiences and knowledge to hopefully inspire other trans men and women to grow as themselves. That's the main reason I'm studying to become a personal trainer too, to help trans people be comfortable in the body they have, as I have found a lot of joy in fitness myself.

Interview with Nguyễn Hoàng Trúc Quân

Monika: Today I would like to take you to Vietnam where one of our sisters lives. Nguyễn Hoàng Trúc Quân is a trans enthusiast, make-up artist, and support lady at shared services center from Ho Chi Minh City. Trúc Quân was a co-founder of Trans Women Vietnam, an organization that supports the local transgender community, and now she is a moderator for another trans group called Vietnamese Trans Girl's Community, so she is the best person to share some interesting stories about our trans sisters from Vietnam. Hello Trúc Quân!

Trúc Quân: Hello there! Thank you for the introduction. Well, first I have to say that I am honored to be a part of this worldwide blog and to present the life of a Vietnamese trans sister like myself.

Monika: Could you introduce yourself to our readers?

Trúc Quân: My name is Trúc Quân - you can call me Quinn, as it sounds similar to Quân. I am a 21-year-old transgirl living in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh city. I am currently working as a customer care office lady. While I did learn to be a professional makeup artist, I do not do make-up very often, only when other people request me to. (PS: If any foreign ladies out there in Ho Chi Minh city want some make-up and probably a meeting with me, just give me a shout-out, I would love to meet you in person.)

Interview with Lennie Blockmans

Monika: Today I am going to host Lennie Blockmans, a young model and social media influencer from Antwerp in Belgium. Hello Lennie!

Lennie: Hello Monika! Thank you so much for having me.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Lennie: My name is Len, but most people call me Lennie. I'm 22 years old and I live in Antwerp where I study psychology. My interests are fashion, art, music, pop culture, and things like that. I came out as gay at 15 and when I was 17 I came out as trans. I completed my medical transition last year and I'm happier than ever.

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

Lennie: I've always been very open and honest about everything regarding my transition. I use Instagram as a visual diary where I document my life, just like most people. But when I started my transition I figured it would be nice to have a timeline with pictures from start to finish and I'm very happy I did that.

Interview with Hannah Herr

Monika: Today I am going to host Hannah Herr, a German social media influencer and transgender woman that shares her transition story on social media. Hello Hannah! 

Hannah: Hi Monika! Thanks for having me.

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Hannah: I'm 30 years old, and I studied biology and English before I got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I then tried myself as an optometrist for a few years until my condition got worse and had to quit my job as well. Now I am writing a blog on Instagram about being transgender while having a chronic illness, my life with my partner, my cat and whatever comes to my mind really. It has been a great outlet for me.

Monika: Hannah is a nice name. How did you choose it?

Hannah: I was set on the name Linda for the longest time, but a friend pressed me for an alternative and I spontaneously came up with Hannah. He loved it and it instantly grew on me, because it was similar to my old name phonetically, but different enough to not make an instant connection to the dead name. It is also a palindrome and I could keep my initials, the perfect name!