Thursday, December 11, 2025 - Kenya’s celebrated hair and makeup artist, John Mokuna Mungai - better known as Jony the Hairdresser - has shared a deeply personal story about growing up with feminine traits in a society that often misunderstood him.
Speaking in an interview, Jony recalled how his teenage
years were marked by relentless bullying.
While primary school was smooth, high school became a
nightmare.
Unlike his peers who were breaking their voices, sprouting
facial hair, and battling pimples, Jony’s voice remained soft and his face
clear.
“My entire high school life, I was bullied because of being
feminine,” he said.
“Vijana
wote wamefika puberty, wamebreak voice, wako na pimples na ndevu na mimi
sijabreak voice, uso yangu ilikuwa very clear, sauti ni nyororo, and they were
huyu anaongea kama msichana,” he stated.
His worst memory came after completing the Kenya Certificate
of Secondary Education (KCSE), when fellow students beat him in a dormitory.
“Nilipigwa the last day
nilimaliza high school; nilipigwa kwa cube moja na nikapigwa,” he
disclosed.
Yet, Jony insists that painful experience gave him courage
and a “thick skin” to face the outside world.
“Negativity doesn’t affect me now because I already
experienced physical brutality,” he explained.
Reflecting on his childhood, Jony revealed that he preferred
dolls over cars and rough games, often hiding his playtime from his mother.
“I was very feminine, and people kept wondering why I was
like that,” he shared.
Today, Jony embraces his feminine energy unapologetically,
describing himself as carrying “80 per cent girlish energy.”
Still, he firmly identifies as male. “You can either be ‘he’
or ‘she,’ and I am a ‘he,’” he clarified.
Known for bold, creative looks, Jony emphasized that his
cross-dressing is primarily artistic expression and content creation.
“Biologically speaking, this is just for show. On a normal
day, you’ll find me without makeup, with short hair,” he said.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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