So i arrive at the tv studio an hour early to give myself some time to get cleaned up and put on the make up. Then the interviewer, Anna Delaney meets me in the lounge for a brief chat about the logistics and the framework for the interview. Only 8 minutes to jam in about 10 questions. Anna is really good. She did her homework and her list of questions and my pre-written list of suggested comments were almost perfectly in concert.
The other guests were nearby and I had a chance to speak with Randy Edmunds the Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament in Labrador who was involved first-hand in the Burton Winters search and rescue mission. Burton was a teen who got lost while snowmobiling and ended up breaking down and having to walk.. 19k and several freezing hours later, he died, government entities have been harshly critisized for not being there to save him...
Poor Randy. I knew I recognized his name but didn't honestly remember who he was.. so one stupid question after another (revealing my lack of knowledge about who the MHAs are in lab, and I finally realized I was chatting with a very important person who's trending these days in the province.
Anyway, Rogers had several student interns in there learning the ropes of the tv business, and part of their job was to serve as my assistants as I get ready. Of course i'll never turn down a chance to chat trans 101, even before doing television for trans 101. So here we are 20 minutes deeper into the conversation, and we are chatting about orgasms. lol ahhh, being trans can be so much fun. It is so easy to break out into deep intimate sexual conversations with people you just meet!
Anyway, then Anna Delaney reappears, all dolled up in her new make up and outfit, and wow, I was stunned! If you want a beauty contest or beauty demonstration, look no further that watching Anna every day on this show! But anyway, we got down to business and entered the set and went over a few things, and away we went! Realizing that I only had 8 minutes and 20 seconds to answer all the questions and make all the points I wanted to make, I was very poignant in my responses.
The interview covered general things, such as difference between sex and gender, transsexual and transgender, and the medical aspects of transsexualism; then dug deeper into societal myths about trans people and the truths. then we talked about the beauty pagaent industry in general, and how they have so many rules to focus in on the type of contestents they want. I spoke about how it is unfair to have rules that don't affect the contest and rules that are not published. I spoke about reaching out to Jenna to make sure she knows she has allies across the country who are here to help her and support her. Then I spoke about the lame excuses that we have been hearing, such as Jenna is 6'1 tall and has an advantage, and that she lied about being a 'natural' woman. Well, I ripped into these policies and pointed out that there was a double standard all over the place. In closing, I spoke about how getting this issue in the media is a good opportunity for dialogue so we can all find ways to understand and accept each other as a society.
So home I go and watch and well, wow! I sounded better than i thought. the interview seemed too lecturish, but seemed like a more casual conversation. the worst thing was noticing how heavy I lookedTVtv does make you look fat but geeze, I thought I looked awful.. then again, tough to feel beautiful when I am sitting beside Anna Delaney and looking at pictures of Jenna Talockova.
Guess what matters most is that we are all decent people. beauty is only skin deep and it's ridiculous for these pagaents to put pressure on young women to be skinny.
Anyway, a stressful but successful interview for me, which should add to my already huge public profile as a respected citizen who takes an interest in community issues and human rights issues.
The more I do this type of work, the more I am convinced that I was born to be a politician!
Anyway, thanks for reading..
Here's a video archive of the interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASPkWZkwfAc
Jenn
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