AJ and I met up for a strong cup of coffee and got personal. We spoke about clean beauty, her experience transitioning, and what being naked means to her now.
F: You know I’m all about baring it all. What are your thoughts on being naked?
A: My thoughts have definitely changed throughout the years, because I’ve become more comfortable as the years have gone by. Having gender reassignment surgery really did change my life, because before I hated being naked. Seeing myself in the mirror when I was about to have a shower, or just anything to do with my body was a no-go zone. But now, it’s like taking baby steps to embracing who I am and loving different parts of my body that I never really looked at before.
F: Do you have a favourite body part?
A: It would have to be lips. They’re so different for each person. I really like how my lips are as well, I have fun playing around with different colours and shapes but also embracing their natural color.
F: Speaking of body parts, what do you call your region down under?
A: The name was actually a misspelling of the word cooch, and I spelled it with an ‘h,’ so there’s an inside joke on my TikTok and instagram where we call the cooch, chooch. Now it’s turned into an actual cute way to call that area. So yeah, it’s my choochie.
F: What beauty products do you find yourself using every day?
A: Probably a good lip gloss or lip balm. I like the combination of the two just because I’m just obsessed with like I said before, lips and hydrating lips. Either that or like a good dewy blush. I love a bit of blush without any foundation. I just feel like it really puts everything together, especially one that compliments my skin tone.
F: Walk me through your everyday shower routine.
A: It can be very basic depending on what day it is. I wash my hair like every third or fourth day. But I like to scrub my body down, maybe use a body scrub or a loofah with some body wash. Then also obviously cleanse my face. I just keep it very simple.
F: Why do you choose to use clean personal care products?
A: What I like about them is I know they’re not going to be harmful to myself or the environment, and I feel like they’re so much better for my skin. I have very sensitive skin, so I never have any issues when I stick to using natural products.
F: Clean versus non-clean deodorant. How would you describe the difference for our frankfurts?
A: The difference is mostly in the type of ingredients that are added. A lot of the ingredients that are more harmful for your body will kind of sit on the surface and might create deeper issues long-term. Clean deodorants tend to stay away from those ingredients and are more natural.
F: What do you like most about my Unscented Body Wash?
A: I like the fact that it’s just so clean and you can use it on all the nooks and crannies of your body. I like to use it on my choochie because it doesn’t mess with the pH levels and it’s just unscented and clean.
F: Let’s get even more personal, babe. What was your experience like transitioning?
A: It was definitely a whole process. There were lots of things I didn’t really know or understand until I was actually in the transition and going through it, but I am so grateful to be where I am today. But it wasn’t a walk in the park, but it was definitely an experience to remember.
F: Who did you first talk to about being trans?
A: The first person I told was my little sister Kiana. We would talk about it a lot and we basically grew up together, so she created a safe space where I knew that she would understand. Even though there were people that already knew (I didn’t really have a coming out process), I just knew that I could talk to her about it and she would love me either way.
F: What advice would you give to someone beginning their transition?
A: Take every day as it comes and to not solely focus on your transition. Realise that you are a human as well and it’s okay to take a step back and live in the moment. I got so focused on transitioning, but there’s so much more to your life. And also know that you can’t have everything in one day. Good things take time, so have a bit of patience and be kind to yourself.
F: What are you most proud of?
A: The moments when I found strength and courage to be able to do things that I wouldn’t have been able to do when I was younger, whether that’s working up the courage to have certain surgeries like my gender reassignment surgery, or being awake during the tracheal shave I had on my neck. It’s those kinds of moments that I look back and feel proud that I did what I intended to do: creating trans visibility which is so important to me because I never had that. I’m proud that I can say I contributed to creating more awareness.
F: Finish the sentence: When life gets dirty…
A: Roll in it.