The Advocate:
Growing up, who were your musical role models?

Jaila:
Of course Whitney Houston and legendary figures like Michael Jackson. I’m also a big musical theater buff, so people like Bette Midler or Liza Minnelli or Judy Garland as well as pop icons like Anita Baker and Mariah Carey -- they all influenced me. And of course, I’ve got to give a shout-out to Prince because he is iconic. And, of course, Diddy and the whole Bad Boy family.

A:
Was your family supportive of your “coming out” as transgender?

J:
I feel like, with all the things I’ve gone through, my family has definitely been there for me and what’s really important in our family is love. People can judge you -- society, even your friends on some occasions. But your family will always be bound by love. Growing up as a child and knowing that I might be more comfortable living my life another way, um, is definitely rough. But if you do have that kind of love in your life, you understand that they’re going to love you no matter what.

A:
So they didn’t force you into therapy?

J:
This is the whole thing, and I’m gonna keep it all-the-way real. I come from a black family that was born and raised in the church, so we’re deeply rooted in religion and in “doctrine,” but at the same time, there has to be a balance. My family, for instance, may not have always accepted me and may not have always liked my actions, even so far as my putting popcorn in the microwave instead of on the stove. But at the end of the day, we know that our love for each other supersedes that. If more people take that into consideration, you’ll have a lot less therapy patients.

A:
What do you think is the biggest misconception about transgender people?

J:
A lot of people look at transgender women as people who are overly sexual, especially in the LGBT community. I think people don’t understand that we’re just trying to have our outsides match our insides. It’s more than about sex. On a spiritual level, some people think their soul is caught in the wrong body. They’re just not able to be themselves. And I want society to know that it’s not based upon sex or image or wanting to be beautiful. It’s about wanting to be who you truly are.

A:
How would you define your sexuality?

J:
I’m a heterosexual woman [laughs]! At least that’s what I think in my own head. Now, what the boys think may be something totally different, but that’s how I feel.