The Last Page with Multimedia Assistant Melody Maia Monet

Maia Monet began her career with Watermark as a freelancer. She has been the woman behind the viewpoint column “Trans of Thought” for the past two years. When Watermark posted the Multimedia Assistant position, Maia jumped at the chance. “I wanted to be part of an organization dedicated to telling our stories within our community and outside of it,” she says.

Watermark also jumped at the chance to have her join the team. Maia is a graduate of Princeton University with vast knowledge of social media skills and internet celebrities, skills no doubt that will help her manage Watermark’s online profile via our website and social media accounts. In addition to her digital duties, Maia will be assisting in administrative tasks. Maia is excited to start this new adventure in her life and exclaims, “I get to be professionally lesbian and transgender!”

In 2011, Maia started her own YouTube channel. The videos were mainly about her early transition, but it wasn’t maintained and her interest in continuing fell off. In 2015, other YouTubers encouraged Maia to start producing videos again. A year and half later, Transgender Woman Next Door has over 5,000 followers and produces a video a week. “It’s an outlet for advocacy,” Maia says. “There are a lot of ultra-fem and fashion transgender channels out there. I wanted to show other trans people that you are not alone, and show others what an average transgender woman next door looks like. I think of myself maybe as the MILF next door.”

Maia gets her professional inspiration from Jenny Boylan. “I read her book She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders before my transition,” Maia remembers. “There’s a quote that really spoke to me, and I’m paraphrasing, ‘I will never regret my transition, but I will always regret not being her husband.’ I was married and didn’t know what direction my life was going. I wrote Jenny an email the night I read that and she responded the next morning, wishing me well in my transition.

Maia is also a musician and singer. “I like to play songs from the Beatles to Beiber,” she says with a smile on her face. You can hear her strumming her guitar to current pop songs from the ‘80s to today at Barley and Vine. She throws in a few classic rock tunes as well.

Maia’s advice to her younger self is some advice we could all use, “Don’t be afraid to show the world who you really are. All of you.”

Watermark is the collective product of a team of incredibly hardworking individuals. Over the next series of issues, we’re using this space to introduce each member of our staff and contributors to you. When you see us out and about in the community, stop and say, “Hello.” We’d love to meet you.

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