Interview of AJ Clementine by Freya Bennett
I was lucky enough to sit down with AJ Clementine after reading her captivating memoir Girl Transcending and chat all things writing, growing up, relationships and Melbourne lockdown.
I have been a fan of AJ for a few years now since being absolutely charmed by her ethereal princess aura and I am constantly blown away by her generosity to share her story with such warmth, humour and vulnerability. Having followed her for a number of years, I know TikTok-length snippets of her story but reading her memoir was a beautiful insight into the background of where she is now.
While Girl Transcending is AJ’s personal story of her gender transition, the warmth and grounded nature of her writing makes it so relatable. When I asked AJ if she meant for her book to be relatable to everyone’s journey, she responded that she wanted her book to relate to the transitional aspect of life that everyone goes through. By writing about how difficult it is to navigate that transition from childhood to teens to adulthood, she hopes to build compassion and understanding that everyone’s journey is different with some journey’s being easier than others and to acknowledge that, is a good thing.
Girl Transcending follows AJ’s journey from childhood to adulthood as she navigates her gender identity. I loved the gentle strength of her voice throughout the book and felt acutely the warmth and positivity she radiates online. Her generosity and graciousness in her interview with me will stay with me for a long time — I hope you enjoy my chat with AJ as much as I did!
