Dylan Mulvaney and her ‘Days of Girlhood’
As she slowly crawls out of the cocoon, Dylan Mulvaney started documenting her daily transitioning journey through her big hit TikTok series, Days of Girlhood.
Mulvaney is a 25-year-old professional actress and comedian residing in West Hollywood, California. Long before coming out as a transwoman, she has been creating TikTok videos relating to her pets. She also does skits, showcasing her broadway talents.
After coming out in March, Dylan Mulvaney began a new TikTok series entitled Days of Girlhood. True to its title, her Days of Girlhood series became an outlet for sharing her transitioning journey. Her topics range from discussing why she kept her birth name to her personal experience with hormone replacement therapy.
I now know why trans people go into their cocoons for long periods before fully coming out. This girl I am becoming — that I am — is still so new and fragile. I cannot expect perfection from her. A newborn isn’t a hundred percent confident as it takes its first step. I giggle at the thought of me actually being 26-days-old, but it also gives me some relief. That is why I refer to myself as a girl, and often not a woman — less pressure.
– Dylan Mulvaney (Day 26 – a journal entry)
Dylan Mulvaney and her Days of Girlhood
Mulvaney captured the hearts of many people, both outside and inside the LGBTQ+ community, through her genuine sunshine personality. Garnering over 10 million TikTok followers as of writing, she continues to inspire the trans community as she shares realistic video diaries throughout her transition journey. While often not shown by many trans content creators or the media, Mulvaney took her own progress to TikTok to help those on the same journey as her.
Because I had never seen a trans person start from day one. I was seeing all these incredible trans women, and I was very intimidated because I wanted to be like them but didn’t know how to. I decided to [make the series] for every future trans person and current trans people that need answers.
– Dylan Mulvaney in an interview with Observer
Mulvaney’s Days of Girlhood videos bring light to several aspects of transition. Topics such as tucking, sharing tampons, and coping with big changes, provided a safe space learning environment for everyone. Besides the physical changes she goes through daily, Mulvaney’s series help her viewers by also sharing her lows. She openly talks about her fears and her feelings.
Despite joking around, she actually admits that she cried or is feeling down on a particular day. Mulvaney mentioned that for her, vulnerability is power. By being vulnerable in her videos, she had created (or is creating) a safe space for discussing feelings, gender expression, and the various definitions of girlhood or womanhood. Thus, regardless of one’s sex or gender, Mulvaney welcomes everyone with a big hug in the community she built through her platform.
It’s a they, dysphoria away!
The pandemic was like a portal that sucked us into self-introspection. In fact, I know many friends and family that went through an identity crisis amidst the lockdown. Generally, the lockdown forced us to reconnect with ourselves and our loved ones. It made us realize that life is too precious to be wasted on trivial things and that we are so much better off spending it with the people we love. Just like most people, Mulvaney went through the same contemplation as well.
Before becoming a “she”, the 25-year-old initially labeled herself as a non-binary as she struggled with gender dysphoria through the years. Mulvaney eventually had to face this after dealing with the pandemic and unemployment. Prior to being a TikTok sensation, she was known as a theatre actor, which explains her beautiful broadway voice. However, while on tour with the Book of Mormon, the pandemic affected the production, and was forced to shut down.
Then, during the pandemic, I was back at home living with my family and asking myself, ‘Dylan, do you feel like a boy?’ It was really during that period of unemployment that I finally asked myself, ‘Who am I without this career?’
– Dylan Mulvaney in an interview with Girlboss
@dylanmulvaney REPOSTING cause tiktok muted the original! Hype this back up so people find it 💖🙌🏻 #gay #animal #bison #foryou ♬ original sound – Dylan Mulvaney
She eventually turned to TikTok due to unemployment, creating online musicals, comedies, and animal content. Once she decided to start transitioning, her content shifted as well. From skits to authentic video diaries, her platform further grew viral. And it’s all thanks to her series that has recently reached 300 days!
The reality of transition
Many of us are unaware of how much trans people go through during this overwhelming time in their life. Aside from the expensive hormones and surgeries, a lot of them have to also acquire therapy. Moreover, they have to endure so much hate and discrimination as they start to label themselves as the opposite of their biological sex. Thus, while it is a privilege to go through transition, trans people also have their fair share of struggles.
Nevertheless, Mulvaney keeps it real by showing both the good and bad of her life as someone at the beginning stage of transition.
One of the biggest criticisms I get from our [trans] community is that my content is specifically made for “cis people consumption,” and in a lot of ways they’re right. What I’m trying to do is get cis people to witness trans joy so we can get them on our sides; because I want them to create opportunities for us. I want them to fight for us; I want them to stop killing us; I want them to create relationships with their own genders so that they can better understand what we’re going through.
– Dylan Mulvaney (Day 153 – a message to my trans sisters)
@dylanmulvaney Realllyyyy trying to stop myself from going blonde #marilynmonroe #trans ♬ Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend – Marilyn Monroe
Mulvaney’s earlier videos (or days) revolve around figuring out her style and gender expression. Her journey began by trying on clothes with her friends and shopping. While Mulvaney is seen having fun in these videos, her audience questioned her definition of girlhood or being a woman. As these comments from cis women insist, girlhood doesn’t just revolve around clothes and makeup. It’s not that simple. While I agree with this sentiment, I think Mulvaney’s audience should also understand that she is still figuring things out. Mulvaney herself even explained that that is the main reason why she didn’t entitle her series Days of “Womanhood”. She’s well aware of the things she needs to learn and navigate all on her own.
Moreover, Mulvaney is willing to learn. She ends her videos with a quick yet endearing way of asking for the ladies’ opinion: “What do you think, ladies?“
Learning girlhood from a trans woman
Mulvaney’s decision to be open with her journey is brave and refreshing from the get-go. As she mentioned, the trans community doesn’t usually share the step-by-step journey of finding themselves and being at peace with it. I have personally encountered social media posts wherein trans people share two pictures, side by side, with the caption: “Day 1 vs Day XXX“. Posting and sharing anything about transitioning is already brave but Mulvaney’s Days of Girlhood is on another level.
Apart from the fact that anything about the LGBTQ+ community is still taboo online, Mulvaney’s TikTok series takes a lot from her. Sharing her journey with over 10 million people online requires vulnerability and heart. Figuring out one’s gender identity is a very intimate process so it’s commendable for Mulvaney to share it, even creating a safe space for those who are going through the same path. Moreover, learning to be comfortable with one’s gender identity is a whole other thing but Mulvaney does it every day with the sweetest smile on her face.
It’s as if the universe was just waiting for me to find this girl. Because now all the things are clicking. I’m not upset about the years that I spent as a boy because that’s how it was supposed to go. But I am now thrilled that everything’s being confirmed by what’s happening in my life.
– Dylan Mulvaney in an interview with Girlboss
Facial feminization reveal
After a month-long healing process since the holidays, Mulvaney revealed the result of her most-awaited facial feminization surgery last Friday, January 27. Taking a huge step from her chiseled jawline, she finally faces the world with a softer feature through an elegantly dramatic TikTok video. As she dances like a swan and poses like Audrey Hepburn, you could definitely tell how happy she is being able to progressively affirm her girlhood. And I do also affirm that she looks absolutely gorgeous in her face reveal.
It’s still me. It’s just a little bit softer of a version. And I just hope that all trans and non-binary people can get the gender-affirming resources that they need because this is life-changing and sometimes life-saving.
– Dylan Mulvaney
@dylanmulvaney FACIAL FEMINIZATION REVEAL ✔️ #trans #ffs ♬ original sound – Dylan Mulvaney
The swan; the actress; and the real Dylan. What a poetic way to say how far she has come as a woman and as an individual. From sharing her trans journey to representing the community in an interview with US President Joe Biden, Mulvaney definitely makes a mark in a lot of lives as well as in LGBTQ+ history. Perhaps not a trailblazer, but there is no denying how inspiring she is — fighting for the lives and rights of every trans individual in the world.
Trans women are women
Let’s go straight to the point: trans women are women. However, some people refuse to view trans women as women because their definition of womanhood is conservative and traditional. Instead of acknowledging the intersectionalities between women and the LGBTQ+ community, people’s minds are held back by the same shackles that hindered the suffrage movement. Instead of shunning away trans women and those on the fem spectrum, people (especially cis women) who refuse to acknowledge trans women as women should open their minds and hearts.
Ladies, it’s the modern age. It’s time to bond over shared experiences, heal together, and fight the bigger fight alongside each other. It’s time to genuinely work towards being more inclusive. Interested in articles like this? Click here to read more articles related to LGBTQ+.
