Caitlyn Jenner joins right-wing pile-on of trans TikToker Dylan Mulvaney
Right-wing commentators and social media influencers targeted Dylan Mulvaney after their interview with president Joe Biden. (Getty)
TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney has come under attack from US conservatives including Caitlyn Jenner after discussing trans rights with US president Joe Biden.
The influencer has gained over 8.4 million followers on TikTok since documenting her experiences as a trans woman in March 2022.
After starting their series “Day … of being a girl”, their platform has shed light on issues facing trans people in the US and they interviewed Biden last week for the political platform Now This.
Although the interview went successfully, with Biden agreeing states should not ban gender-affirming healthcare, Mulvaney has since been targeted by the right.
'The trans part is not immoral, what [GOP lawmakers] are trying to do to trans persons is immoral' — Pres. Biden made his position clear while remarking on Republican state legislatures across the U.S. moving forward with anti-trans bills #BidenForum pic.twitter.com/vthADMyV3m
— NowThis Impact (@nowthisimpact) October 24, 2022
Anti-trans Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene began the pile-on by reposting a video of Mulvaney interviewing Biden with the caption: “I introduced a bill to stop gender-affirming care on kids & they want me dead.
“I’m being swatted while fake women visiting Biden are being swooned.”
Greene also appeared on Fox News later that night to continue her attack.
Senator Marsha Blackburn also joined in the bigotry, posted a TikTok video of Mulvaney discussing trans women’s bodies, saying: “Radical left-wing lunatics want to make this absurdity normal”.
In the TikTok video, Mulvaney discusses having her crotch stared at while shopping and encouraging people to “normalise the bulge”.
However, Caitlyn Jenner, who herself has previously spoken out about not judging trans women by how they look, retweeted Blackburn in agreement.
She praised the senator for “having a backbone” and to “not normalise any of what this person is doing”.
. @MarshaBlackburn thank you for speaking out and having a backbone – one of the best senators we have. Let’s not ‘normalize’ any of what this person is doing. This is absurdity! https://t.co/YmQcuwWKhj— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) October 26, 2022
Jenner was criticised by many, including senator Sarah McBride.
McBride said the failed politician was a “bully” who was throwing other trans people “under the bus”.
Caitlyn, mocking other trans people is not going to make politicians like Blackburn accept you. I would pity your transparent insecurity if it wasn't so dangerous for the trans people you bully and throw under the bus. I don't usually comment on this stuff, but I abhor a bully. https://t.co/ytYujRJD4b— Sen. Sarah McBride (@SarahEMcBride) October 27, 2022
In Mulvaney’s last TikTok, posted five days ago she said: “I started making videos on here to spread joy not to be constantly defending myself.”
Although the video ends positively with Mulvaney listing all the good things, concluding “do a good handful of people hate me? Yes, but we’ve got too many good things going on right now.”
@dylanmulvaney Good updates !!!!! ♬ Relaxing Japanese-style piano song inviting nostalgia – Akiko Akiyama
This TikTok post itself has received almost a million likes with overwhelming support for Mulvaney in the comments.
Unfortunately, this is not the only hate campaign the influencer has been targeted by in recent days, with right-wingers boycotting beauty brand Ulta Beauty after they featured Dylan Mulvaney in a video.
After appearing as a guest on their YouTube series “The Beauty Of…” to talk about Girlhood, #BoycottUlta started trending on Twitter.
Although Mulvaney is yet to publicly speak about the backlash, Ulta Beauty was forced to turn off comments and posted a short Twitter thread.
“The premise of ‘The Beauty Of…’ is to feature conversations that widen the lens surrounding traditional beauty standards. We believe beauty is for everyone.”
