Mercury Stardust's rise to prominence on TikTok started with a brief video answering a query about ratchet straps. Now, she has greater than 2.3 million followers, and her in style dwelling upkeep DIY movies get 1000's of likes every. She attributes the expansion of her platform to speaking about DIY and upkeep in a means that made her viewers really feel seen — what she calls "compassionate DIY."
On the finish of all her movies, whether or not instructing on learn how to find wall studs or use image rails, she seems to be into the digital camera and reminds the viewer, "You are well worth the time it takes to be taught a brand new ability."
Stardust says she has been elevating cash for the reason that second she got here out as a trans lady 5 years in the past, although on a a lot smaller scale. She has beforehand taken the stage in drag and burlesque exhibits which donated the proceeds to trans individuals looking for gender-affirming care.
Now her platform has turn out to be a megaphone for advocacy and mutual help in a rustic that's more and more focusing on entry to trans healthcare. The ACLU is monitoring greater than 100 payments which might be proposing restrictions on healthcare for trans individuals. So Stardust and fellow TikToker cohost Jory are internet hosting a 30-hour livestream that began final night time and ends this night, on Trans Day of Visibility, to boost cash that may straight fund healthcare for trans individuals via Level of Delight.
"I am a fixer by nature — I am the Trans Helpful Ma'am," Stardust informed Insider.
The livestream options video games and particular friends
Stardust and Jory started the 30-hour livestream at 5pm ET on March 30. That is Stardust's second yr internet hosting the Tiktok-a-thon. Final yr, she aimed to boost $24,000 in 24 hours and ended up bringing in additional than $120,000 whole. This yr, they set an preliminary objective of $1 million — they reached it in just below six hours.
Throughout the first hour, supporters successfully shut down the positioning internet hosting the fundraiser with their donations. Level of Delight co-founder Aydian Dowling attributed the positioning crash to the facility of the group coming collectively and elevating greater than $100,000 within the first 60 minutes.
"That is what we do," Dowling stated on the stream. "We shut shit down."
To proceed to boost cash, they're bringing in a number of particular friends and enjoying video games together with "trans Tornado." They've already introduced on fellow TikTokers Vitus "V" Spehar, host of in style channel Underneath The Desk Information, and make-up artist Darius Corridor. Stardust has additionally pie-d Jory within the face a number of instances, and the 2 set off a confetti cannon to have fun elevating $1 million.
Stardust informed Insider that she desires the livestream to assist shift the dialog to trans pleasure.
"I feel individuals can have this misunderstanding that transness is ache," Stardust stated. "It is not trans people who find themselves unhappy and depressed," she continued, "It is the society round us that makes us unhappy and depressed."
Trans individuals typically lack entry to high quality healthcare
Now that the fundraiser has reached its $1 million objective, the organizers say it might assist present healthcare to 11,000 trans people — together with hormone alternative remedy, binders, and gender-affirming surgical procedures.
These are therapies that many trans individuals would possibly in any other case not have the ability to get via conventional American healthcare.
"For trans individuals, gender-affirming care is commonly considered as a selection reasonably than a necessity," Stardust stated.
A current ballot by The Washington Submit and KFF discovered that "almost half (47 %) of trans adults say the healthcare suppliers they've are available contact with know 'not an excessive amount of' or 'nothing in any respect' about offering well being care to trans individuals."
And even when a trans individual finds a health care provider who's educated about their state of affairs, price could be extraordinarily prohibitive. Totals can attain over $100,000, and procedures are sometimes not lined by medical insurance.
Black and brown trans ladies are disproportionately affected by these entry obstacles.
"Our fundraiser mustn't should exist," Stardust informed Insider.
However for now, she's going to proceed spreading pleasure and elevating cash one video at a time.
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