Interview with Dr Lea Svensson

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KBOO
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Tue, 09/17/2024 - 6:00pm to 7:00pm
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Please join us for Transpositive on KBOO Community Radio on Tuesday, September 17th.  We will have as our guest this week Dr Lea Svensson.  Dr Svensson is a former citizen of the USSR who emigrated to Europe in order to transition.  As a heart surgeon and general practitioner she faced decades in prison in Russia if she came out and so she had to keep her identity secret through medical school and medical practice until at the age of 44 she was able to obtain a work permit to Sweden where she began her medical transition and works now as a general practitioner.  She lives in a small town in Sweden with her daughter and hopes soon to obtain Swedish citizenship.  We will talk about the long journey of transition and the challenges she faced in order to become the woman she is today.

"Hi! I’m Lea, a trans woman. I was born in 1977 in Leningrad, USSR. Not a very nice beginning for a trans person. But here I am, living my best life in Sweden! I finished the school and became a doctor, and then began working as a heart surgeon, carefully beholding my secret. Then I decided to move to Sweden, the land that I fell in love with at the first sight. It took 5 years to learn the language and obtain the Swedish doctor license, but it was worth doing! I had a lot of thoughts and doubts, but in May 2020 I made my decision to go through the transitioning. I lost 20 kg weight, made a hair transplantation, learned about style and makeup, and finally came out as a trans woman in November 2022. I began HRT about 7 months ago, and went through face feminisation surgery. So many milestones and thoughts… now I’m into inspiring trans women, who are maybe still in the closet, or have doubts, or just don’t know what to begin their transition with. It’s the best thing I can do for the community! Have a nice day!"

Transpositive is a biweekly program in Portland exploring themes important to those who identify as Transgender, Gender Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming. Transpositive tries to connect listeners with the ongoing activism, arts, culture, and dialogue happening in Portland and beyond. Make your voice heard! Transpositive PDX is open to new and experienced programmers, guests, and events you want our community to know about. We are an open collective. Anyone who identifies as trans, gender non-binary, or gender fluid is welcome to be part of our collective after completing some basic free radio training.

For more information contact Emma at transpositivepdx@gmail.com

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