Her Campus at Helsinki had the chance to sit down with one of the trendiest fashion bloggers who is no stranger with being a major league trans advocate – Mona Bling. You might already know her from her fierce fashion blog monabling.com, but underneath all the glamour lies a fearless LGBT activist who doesn’t take a no for an answer when it comes to equal rights.
Such a pleasure to finally have the chance to talk with you, Mona. Firstly, I’d love to hear your thoughts on womanhood. What does being a woman mean to you?
First of all, as a transgendered woman I value my womanhood greatly. However, I don’t take it for granted since there are still far too many obstacles to overcome for the transgender community. But what really brings a big smile to my face is that I can freely live my life as I feel inside. In other words, freedom makes me feel powerful. For me, being a woman means I can be as feminine as I want, for example, with my style. Regardless, I can also express my masculine side and still identify as a woman. I’ve never been an ultra-feminine girl, but I still enjoy things that I find beautiful. I think we women have a choice to be whatever we want to be, but of course, so do men!
What’s your stand on feminism? What does it mean to you?
I definitely identify as a feminist – everybody should! For me, feminism means equality between all genders and sexes since everyone should be treated with the same amount of respect. Nevertheless, I often feel that people who criticize feminism do not actually understand the true meaning of feminism at all. It boggles the mind to think that there are people who deliberately choose to elevate themselves over others when it comes to equal rights.
How has your life changed after your transition?
First of all, after my transition, I’ve gained a huge amount of self-confidence. Before my transition I was very insecure with people in general. Also, I felt very sad for a long time. The biggest change has to be my happy mood since negative things don’t get me down as easily as before. In addition, I have learned to love myself and, in fact, I have also found someone who loves me for who I am. To be honest, that’s something I never thought would happen to me! I’m really happy to say I’m in love and I know I’m being loved in return.
Where do you get all of your confidence?
What gives me lots of confidence, is that I know who I am as a person. But just like everyone else, I, too, have bad days sometimes. Luckily, I have my great supportive friends and a loving family who can lift me up during the blues. Part of my confidence is definitely due to being with the right kind of people. Therefore, I’m really grateful that I’ve got a strong safety net that can get me through anything in my life.
If you could, what would you say to a 10-year-old Mona today?
I would tell her that everything’s going to be fine in time and that everything will work out for the best in the end. I would make sure that she’d know that there’s nothing to worry about since life has a plan for her. Sure, there will be kids at school that are going to bully her for being different, but stay strong – time will pass and she’ll be happy one day. I know it in my heart that what doesn’t kill you really makes you stronger.
What words of encouragement would you offer to people who are doubting their gender and/or sexual expression?
Listen to your heart and do what feels natural to you. I’ve learned that you can’t always do what other people expect from you. Therefore, it’s essential to let your feelings guide you through life. Life is too short not to live, so make every day count. When it comes to gender and sexual expression, don’t rush things or think that you have to figure things out right this moment. The most important things in life tend to take time. Luckily, you’ll know it in your heart when you’re ready to take the next step.
Lastly, as a hard core fashionista, what would be your favorite beauty tip to give to our readers?
Always take your make up off before going to bed – trust me it’ll do wonders to your skin! Also, take care of your skin by moisturizing it regularly with products that match your skin type. For me, water is the key. Try drinking a healthy dose of water on a daily basis to keep your skin healthy and beautiful.
All photos (C) Mona Bling
If you haven’t already, check out Mona’s chic fashion blog at http://monabling.com/