We spend a lot of time trying to figure out who we are and what our path in life is. For some it’s a bit easier than others, as the guidebook for life’s expectations is written by the society we live in. Be born, be given appropriate toys to play with, learn, have hobbies, get a job, make a family and repeat the cycle with future generations until you die.
But what happens when the person you feel like isn’t the person that is described in the book? When you’re the only one who sees who you really are? Well, you brave it and rewrite it for you and generations to come. You wouldn’t use an outdated Ford manual to fix your Ferrari, would you?
Today we have a very inspiring story about one such person, bringing a lot of joy to her 2M followers on TikTok. I would like you all to meet Dylan Mulvaney, so let’s get into it!
Meet Dylan Mulvaney, a trans actress and comedian, inspiring and entertaining her 2M followers on TikTok
Image credits: dylanmulvaney
Dylan is an actress, comedian, and TikTok star who’s been searching for her true self for over 25 years. Even at 4 years old, she recalled to Good Morning America (GMA) running to her mother and saying: “Mom, I'm a girl trapped in a boy's body. Help!”
Let me just say, if my child ever did that, I’d be so confused as to what to do. Do you go with it and start transitioning your child at a young age or do you say ‘that’s nice, sweetie’ and let them figure it out, whilst trying to be supportive in the process? Leave your thoughts on this in the comments but back to the story.
She came out as a woman in March and has been documenting each day of her new life and transition
Image credits: dylanjamesmulvaney
For those who are unaware of the terms, let’s run through them really briefly. According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the word ‘transgender’ or ‘trans’ is a term for people whose gender identity is different from the sex assigned at birth.
People who would fit under this definition have existed in every culture throughout recorded history and have shown that the trans community is incredibly diverse. Some take hormones or have surgery as part of their transition, while others may change their pronouns or appearance otherwise.
The Trans Awareness Project notes that the key difference between trans communities and gay, lesbian, and bisexual communities is that trans communities are primarily organized around gender identity and presentation, whilst the latter are primarily organized around sexual identity and/or orientation.
However, many of our perceptions around sexual orientation are also strongly connected with our conception of gender, which sometimes make it incredibly difficult to pinpoint who you are at your core.
Dylan's self-discovery began at an early age and her family has been incredibly supportive
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Dylan’s self-discovery was not an easy process. She first came out as gay, then queer, then non-binary, and, finally, trans. Thankfully, her parents and grandparents were very supportive of their child. She described this picture on her Instagram, dressed as Dorothy and hugged by her grandma, as one full of meaning: “That was back when I knew very much that I wanted to be a girl or some version of feminine, and wasn’t clouded with societal judgment of what that meant.”
Sadly, her grandma has since passed away, Dylan sharing a beautiful memory to remember her by: “When I was over about a year ago, she asked if I had a girlfriend. I froze and she quickly picked up and went, ‘or do you have a boyfriend?’ And I said not yet. She said ‘you will.’ And gave me the biggest smile.” The need for support cannot be underestimated and we’re sure family have helped Dylan become the independent, brave and beautiful girl that she is.
Although Dylan seems to be thriving now, it's been a long journey of searching for her identity, going from gay to non-binary
Image credits: dylanmulvaney
Image credits: dylanmulvaney
Dylan had been documenting her journey, but coming out as trans was a big step forward
Image credits: dylanjamesmulvaney
"Ultimately, I had to do that to honor who I truly am. And now I've never been happier. And it feels so good to know that, like, all of the darkness throughout my life, all of the experiences that I've gone through… the hard conversations have all been worth it,” Dylan said.
She’d been documenting her experiences and exploration of her identity with videos captioned ‘It’s a they, euphoria of the day’, however, coming out as trans seemed to be a whole new, massive step forwards.
"God doesn't make mistakes", she recalled her mom saying, instinctively knowing ever since she was 4 that she was meant to be a girl
Image credits: dylanjamesmulvaney
She came to Instagram and TikTok to introduce herself as Dylan, the girl, explaining that “while I was non-binary, I would often say that I felt less and less like a boy every day. Now I realize it really was every day I was feeling more and more like a girl and I didn't know that. I was so scared and a little bit ashamed to even consider myself back on the binary as a trans woman.”
She even recalled the run up to her mother, expressing how she thought God made a mistake, but her mom reassured her that “God doesn’t make mistakes.”
After more than twenty years, she understood her mom’s words, saying: “I'm not a mistake, I'm here for a reason and now it feels like I get to honor that inner child within me that knew it so long ago. I finally get to be that person and I really am so excited for you to meet girl Dylan and she’s excited to meet you too!”
And thus, she started the infamous series "Day _ of being a girl", sharing all her learnings and changes as she would a journal
Image credits: dylanjamesmulvaney
“I was so scared of coming out, because I didn't know what that process was going to look like," Dylan told GMA, explaining that she saw incredible trans women who had already completed their transitions, leaving Dylan without much knowledge on how to get there herself. Understanding that more information was to be put out into the world, she decided to take the first step in that direction.
She decided to start a series, titled “Day __ of girlhood”, where she’d document her experiences and transition, as one would in a diary. Even though the first episode got a tiny bit of backlash, causing the creator to post an apology video afterwards, many supported Dylan and encouraged her to keep going.
From hormone replacement therapy to shopping with her besties, the series has caught the attention of millions
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From talking about estrogen in hormone replacement therapy (HRT), to buying dresses with her best friends, the hilarious and honest videos show it all! Unsurprisingly, that the series quickly took off, drawing in her first million followers on TikTok three weeks after she began the series. People have shown their love and support for the excitable and sweet person, each new video garnering over a million views.
Dylan told GMA: “I didn't know I was this worthy of love or this worthy of attention, and there's something really affirming in the fact that, like, I now know that I am a good person. I have good to put out in the world and I am grateful for every single human being that's along with me."
A big moment came when Dylan received her gender-neutral driver's license, an important step to a more inclusive society
Image credits: dylanjamesmulvaney
Some milestones are more important than others, potentially impacting the future for other trans and non-binary people. In one TikTok, Dylan was super emotional, opening up a letter with her new driving license, the ‘Sex’ having an ‘X’, instead of the usual ‘M’ or ‘F’.
She said: “I’m opening it up for the first time and realizing how privileged I am to live in a state that will let me do this and to be one of the first people to have it.” She felt it was a sign of things moving in the right direction, not only for her but for many others walking in her shoes.
She was also praised for deciding to carry tampons for every woman that might need them
Image credits: dylanjamesmulvaney
Other stories are incredibly wholesome and funny, especially one regarding tampons. Dylan was using a public restroom when a fellow woman called out if she had a tampon, Dylan shyly replying ‘no’.
Afterwards, she decided to buy some to keep in the house and in her purse for all her girlfriends, ending the video with “women support women.” It seemed that Tampax were quite interested in working with Dylan afterwards. What an incredible outcome!
Even Tampax took notice to it, deciding to work with her
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But outside the jokes and humor is a real person, who’s trying day by day to live the life of their authentic self, which comes with difficulties and struggles.
However, Dylan is set on encouraging others in their transition and gender exploration, saying “First of all, I'm proud of you. Second of all, take your time. This is not a race. It is probably one of the biggest decisions you'll ever have to make in your life and one of the craziest journeys that you'll go on. Start with people that you know, 100%, will support you and love you.”
Dylan is grateful for the warm welcome she's received and for being able to inspire other trans people to come out
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Dylan has received messages from people who, inspired by her journey, decided to come out to their families as trans. Parents of trans children have told her that they watch her videos with their children, which has meant a lot to the creator.
But as much as Dylan is giving to the trans community, she’s receiving much more, stating that “the support from cis women has been insane and magical, because it feels like I really am part of something now and they've like accepted me into womanhood."
The vulnerability, strength and determination it takes to “come out on the other side as this new person that is undeniably authentic,” said Dylan, believing that “vulnerability is power. And femininity is power.” However, there is still much to be done when it comes to the acceptance and equality of trans people.
The stigma and inequality following the trans community is still incredibly prominent, but there are ways we can all contribute to its betterment
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The stigma that follows the notion is an important one to break apart, considering the facts told by HRC, that the legal system often does not protect them from discrimination, with more state legislatures debating and passing legislation specifically designed to prohibit trans people from accessing public bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity, or creating exemptions based on religious beliefs that would allow discrimination against LGBTQ people. Rejection, harassment and serious acts of violence against members of the trans community are also a growing issue.
GLAAD recommends to all that want to make a difference, whether part of the trans community, LGBTQ+ community or an ally, to stay considerate, listen to the experiences shared, and try to understand and empathize, rather than assume or become too inquisitive into private matters. And try your best to understand that there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to transition, and that it is different for every person. If you’d like to learn more about the topic, you can visit their website here.
We look forward to seeing more of Dylan and her adventures, knowing full well that happiness is in her future
Image credits: dylanmulvaney
We wish Dylan all the best in her life journey that she so graciously decided to share with us. The laughs, the struggles, and everything in between are a part of each and every one of our experiences and it’s nice to know that we are truly never alone.
Watch the video for day 38 - a list of things she wishes she could tell her younger self. It beautifully sums up this story
Let us know what you thought of this story and don't forget to upvote the story and follow the writer as it adds a bits of sunshine to our lives. I wish you all a fabulous and sunny day!
People absolutely love Dylan! What about you? Leave your thoughts below
