When Dylan Mulvaney accepted the Groundbreaker Award at this year’s Queerties on February 28, she opened with a simple, joyful reminder: “It’s day 352 of being a girl!” The 26-year-old TikTok sensation has been sharing her transition journey with millions online. And soon, she’ll mark her one-year milestone with a special celebration “Dylan Mulvaney’s Day 365 Live!”, a one-night-only cabaret show at New York’s iconic Rainbow Room on March 13. The event, which will be live-streamed in support of The Trevor Project, features an impressive lineup of guests including Dominique Jackson (Pose), Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), and Jonathan Van Ness (Queer Eye).
Dylan Mulvaney Shares Her Earliest Memory Of Coming Out At Just 4 Years Old
The show promises a mix of original songs, classic standards, and even some Kate Bush covers. Fashion will also be front and center, with wardrobe changes styled by Christian Siriano and Amsale. Before becoming a prominent voice in the trans community, Mulvaney was performing in The Book of Mormon on Broadway. But when the pandemic hit and she returned home to her conservative family in San Diego, everything changed.
It was during that time she truly began to embrace her gender identity. Since then, she’s attracted nearly 11 million followers on TikTok and over 1.7 million on Instagram. In October, she was even invited to the White House to talk trans issues with President Joe Biden. We caught up with Mulvaney for the Just for Variety podcast right after she checked into the Plaza Hotel in New York to prep for rehearsals.
First Encounters And Finding Community
Asked about the first trans person she met, Mulvaney recalled being captivated by Laverne Cox on Orange Is the New Black: I remember thinking, Oh my gosh, that’s an option. That’s a thing. Mulvaney shared that she came out to her mother when she was just four years old, telling her, “I’m a girl.” Raised in a deeply religious household, she was told, “God doesn’t make mistakes.”
At the time, she had no idea that transitioning was even possible. Her first close relationship with a nonbinary person came years later, when she met actor E.R. Fightmaster during an improv show at UCB. “They had this incredible confidence and swagger—like, ‘I know who I am.’ I wanted that so badly,” she said. That experience helped shift her focus from seeking validation from cis women to fully embracing the trans community, especially trans-feminine people. “They’re the people I want to represent,” she added.
Family, Growth, And Belief In Change
Mulvaney’s relationship with her family has come a long way since those early days. Some members, including her dad and his fiancée, plan to attend her upcoming show. Her mom? “We’re basically BFFs. We fight like sisters,” she joked. “I really believe kids are placed in parents’ lives for a reason,” she said. “I’ve watched my whole family grow and evolve in their views.
So I know it’s possible.” That personal experience is what keeps her from giving up when she’s attacked by outlets like Fox News or the Daily Mail. “Sometimes I feel like, ‘Why even try to make people understand?’ But then I remember—real change can happen. I’ve seen it in my own life.” She also believes that just being physically present with people can break down stigma. “When someone sees I’m not a monster, that this isn’t some trend—it opens their eyes.”