“I was bullied for being feminine” – Jony the hairdresser speaks out
By Valerian Khakayi, December 11, 2025Kenya’s popular hair and makeup artist John Mokuna Mungai, widely known as Jony the hairdresser, has shared his painful experience as a man with feminine characteristics.
Speaking during an interview with YouTuber Nicholas Kioko in an episode aired on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, Jony narrated how he was bullied during his teenage years for being feminine.
He says that his primary school life was easy; however, after transitioning to high school, he faced cruelty because, unlike other boys his age who were experiencing puberty, he did not break his voice or undergo the physical changes typical of adolescence.
“My entire high school life, I was bullied because of being feminine,” Jony said.
Primary was okay, I did not face bullying at all, but in high school, I was bullied because I was not feminine. 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.”
Recalling his worst nightmare, the crossdresser narrated how he was beaten by his fellow students after completing his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
“Nilipigwa the last day nilimaliza high school; nilipigwa kwa cube moja na nikapigwa,” he disclosed.
Jony, who has currently embraced his feminine nature, says the painful experience he went through in high school gave him the courage to face the outer world.
“That was a wake-up call for me, na ikanipea courage na thick skin, so even coming to the outside world, negativity would not affect me because I have already experienced the physical brutality,” Jony stated.
Growing up
While narrating his upbringing, Jony says that, unlike other young boys who played with cars and “boy stuff,” he used to play with dolls.
“Mimi nilianza nikiwa mdogo, brother yangu akienda huko kucheza na bano. Mimi nilikuwa hapo na dolli najificha, because my mum was ‘can you go play with your brother’ and I told her, ‘mimi huko sitaki because they were rough na mimi sasa sikuwa napenda watu wako hivyo,'” Jony stated.
“I was very feminine, and people were wondering kwa nini huyu ako hivi.”
Gender identity
Known for his bold and creative looks, Jony explained that while he embraces feminine energy in his style, it does not define his gender, even though he has girlish energy.
“I feel more of a girl 80 per cent that is the energy that I carry most of the time,” he said.
The hairdresser firmly disclosed that he identifies himself as ‘he’ because he is a man.
“I do not identify myself as ‘they’ because you cannot be them; you can either be ‘he’ or ‘she’, and I am a ‘he’,” Jony revealed.
Jony emphasised that his cross-dressing is largely for content and artistic expression.
“Biologically speaking, hii tu ni kibindi, this is just for show, just for content, but on a normal day, utanipata bila makeup niko na short hair nimenyoa”, he added.