Serena Daniari

Bio

Serena is a Multimedia Producer at Mic. She is a transgender activist, pop culture enthusiast, and social media storyteller. You can reach her at serena@mic.com.
Transgender woman Aliah Hernandez was brutally beaten and left for dead. Her attacker walked free.
By Serena Daniari
In December 2014, Aliah Hernandez was working the drive-thru at El Nopalito restaurant in New Braunfels, Texas, when she met Cameron Wright. Hernandez was instantly put at ease by Wright’s sweet demeanor and shy flirtatiousness. After exchanging…
Intersex children often undergo damaging surgeries: “We don’t have bodily autonomy as intersex kids”
By Serena Daniari
When Pidgeon Pagonis was born, doctors removed their internal testes. Growing up, Pagonis — who identifies are nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns — had no knowledge of their intersex variation. Up to 1.7% of people are born intersex, according to…
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The Trump administration’s attempt to rewrite gender is not enough to erase trans existence
By Serena Daniari
As a trans woman living in Trump’s America, I have been repeatedly forced to grapple with the startling reality that our current administration seems intent on rolling back the already lacking protections that have been afforded to us in recent…
Meet Nicole Maines, the transgender woman playing TV’s first trans superhero
By Serena Daniari
As part of Mic Dispatch, I traveled to Hollywood to chat with transgender activist and actress Nicole Maines. The actress, who has previously appeared on Royal Pains and The Trans List, will be playing Nia Nall, television’s first trans superhero on…
Transplaining: My husband wants to transition into a woman. What should I do?
By Serena Daniari
Welcome to Transplaining, Mic correspondent Serena Daniari’s weekly advice column on gender identity. No topic — from dating to sex to the process of transitioning itself — is off-limits. Submit your questions to serena@mic.com, and subscribe to…
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Detransitioning is a controversial topic that requires nuance at every point in the conversation
By Serena Daniari
During a subway commute at the start of the year, I noticed two men whispering to each other while looking in my direction. I avoided eye contact, hoping the situation wouldn’t escalate. I just wanted to get home after a particularly exhausting work…
Transgender gubernatorial hopeful Christine Hallquist is “ready to fight” and win in November
By Serena Daniari
As part of Mic Dispatch, I traveled to Vermont to follow the state’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Christine Hallquist, leading up to her historic win in the primaries. In August, she became the first out transgender person ever nominated for…
Transplaining: My transgender friend has dysphoria. How can I help him with his fear of not passing?
By Serena Daniari
Welcome to Transplaining, Mic correspondent Serena Daniari’s weekly advice column on gender identity. No topic — from dating to sex to the process of transitioning itself — is off-limits. Submit your questions to serena@mic.com, and subscribe to…
Transgender athlete Terry Miller is reigniting questions about fairness in sports
By Serena Daniari
The world of Connecticut high school track and field has become embroiled in controversy after the recent athletic success of two transgender students, Terry Miller and Andraya Yearwood. Miller and Yearwood have been garnering accolades, to the…
Transplaining: I just found out the woman I’m talking to on Tinder is trans. Am I still straight?
By Serena Daniari
Welcome to Transplaining, Mic correspondent Serena Daniari’s weekly advice column on gender identity. No topic — from dating to sex to the process of transitioning itself — is off-limits. Submit your questions to serena@mic.com, and subscribe to…
My mom is transitioning to become my dad. How do I support him when I feel like I’m mourning my mom?
By Serena Daniari
Welcome to Transplaining, Mic correspondent Serena Daniari’s weekly advice column on gender identity. No topic — from dating to sex to the process of transitioning itself — is off-limits. Submit your questions to serena@mic.com, and subscribe to…
Transplaining: I’m dating a man who doesn’t know I’m transgender. How — and when — do I tell him?
By Serena Daniari
Welcome to Transplaining, Mic correspondent Serena Daniari’s weekly advice column on gender identity. No topic — from dating to sex to the process of transitioning itself — is off-limits. Submit your questions to serena@mic.com, and subscribe to…
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An injectable estrogen shortage reminds trans women that our fight is far from over
By Serena Daniari
I sat on Emira Hajj’s bed in her glitzy, decked-out apartment in Bushwick, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, for an on-camera interview for Mic Dispatch. We began to engage in effortless banter about our mutual issues as two young transgender…
Transplaining: I’m a transgender man who wants to be a dad. How should I come out to my future kids?
By Serena Daniari
Welcome to Transplaining, Mic correspondent Serena Daniari’s weekly advice column on gender identity. No topic — from dating to sex to the process of transitioning itself — is off-limits. Submit your questions to serena@mic.com, and subscribe to…
Transplaining: I’m nonbinary, but I still present as male. I feel fake. How do I deal with this?
By Serena Daniari
Welcome to Transplaining, Mic correspondent Serena Daniari’s weekly advice column on gender identity. No topic — from dating to sex to the process of transitioning itself — is off-limits. Submit your questions to serena@mic.com, and subscribe to…
Transplaining: I’m a cisgender man. How do I tell my friends and family my partner is transgender?
By Serena Daniari
Welcome to Transplaining, Mic correspondent Serena Daniari’s weekly advice column on gender identity. No topic — from dating to sex to the process of transitioning itself — is off-limits. Submit your questions to serena@mic.com, and subscribe to…
Introducing Transplaining, a weekly advice column by correspondent Serena Daniari
By Serena Daniari
Subscribe to Transplaining here. Hi Readers, My name is Serena Daniari and I’m a correspondent at Mic. When I was a young trans girl growing up in a conservative suburb of Dallas, I had no language to articulate my transness and I had no…
An immersive look into the transgender experience
By Serena Daniari
As I peered outside of my dorm window at the crowded New York street, I reassured myself with a nervous smile. After weeks of applying a full face of makeup, throwing on the synthetic platinum blonde wig that cost three paychecks and almost making…
The ‘Real Housewives’ has a long history of homophobia and transphobia. Here it is.
By Serena Daniari
As a self-proclaimed Real Housewives super-fan, I’ve watched nearly every episode of every iteration of the franchise. When I initially began my descent down the Housewives rabbit-hole, I would use the show as a means of escape from the stresses and…
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Kenya Moore’s apology for transphobia on ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ was totally insufficient
By Serena Daniari
Viewers who were hoping to tune into Sunday night’s The Real Housewives of Atlanta for some light drama and quotable catfighting were met by yet another barrage of transphobia from Kenya Moore. After a week of swift and scathing backlash against…