Trans TikTokker shares her transition journey with millions: 'Vulnerability is power'

By Shannon McLellan

Dylan Mulvaney is using TikTok to bring millions along on her transition journey.

Mulvaney, 25, began her transition on March 12 after a lifetime of struggling with her gender identity.

"When I was 4 years old, I came to my mom and said, 'Mom I'm a girl trapped in a boy's body. Help!'" Mulvaney said. "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."

@dylanjamesmulvaney Day 1 of being a girl #trans #woman ♬ som original - Music Lyrics

An actor and comedian living in Los Angeles, Mulvaney began to document her journey on TikTok at first as a "diary series" for herself to see how far she'd come. But she was shocked when in just three weeks she had gained over 1 million followers on the video platform.

"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 like I am a good person. I have good to put out in the world," Mulvaney said. "I am grateful for every single human being that's along with me."

Her video series titled "Day _ of Girlhood" touches on parts of her transition that many may not think of, such as facial hair, other women asking for tampons and shopping for a new wardrobe.

"I think I was so scared of coming out, because I didn't know what that process was going to look like," Mulvaney said. "And I was just seeing all of these amazing trans women, like Laverne Cox, who were already these full-fledged women. And I was like, I don't know how to get there."

"So I was like, 'You know what, Dylan? Why, why don't we take people along to show the day to day and these, these experiences that I think a lot of people don't really think about, that trans people have to go through,'" Mulvaney said.

@dylanjamesmulvaney Day 12- TAMPONS #trans #tampon ♬ original sound - Dylan Mulvaney

Supporting has come flooding in for Mulvaney, who said she has received messages from people who have decided to come out to their families as trans or parents of trans children who watch her videos together.

"Anytime that a trans person reaches out and says that, like, I'm going through the same thing ... that is, like, such a gift, because I want to represent the trans community in the best light possible," Mulvaney said. "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."

For people who are watching her videos and thinking of transitioning, Mulvaney has a message.

"First of all, I'm proud of you," Mulvaney said. "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."

@dylanjamesmulvaney Day 19- covering my beard!! #trans #makeup ♬ She Share Story (for Vlog) - 山口夕依

Now with an online community of millions of people loving and supporting her, Mulvaney said she's excited to take the internet family she's built on this journey alongside her.

"The best part about being trans is that everyone gets to see that there is no doubt 100% something authentic about you, because we have had to go through experiences that have been so vulnerable, so scary, and come out on the other side as this new person that is undeniably authentic," Mulvaney said.

"I think vulnerability is power. And femininity is power," Mulvaney said. "I just feel really honored to be somebody that can share my vulnerable parts and have it resonate with others"