Who is Dylan Mulvaney and why his "Days of Girlhood" have made waves worldwide

It was 16 March 2022 when Dylan Mulvaney launched the series that made her an internet celebrity, catapulted her into a fabulous, fashionable world, but also became the talk of the town, for better or worse. This series, called "Days of Girlhood" , began as a kind of video diary of her transition. Each day dealt with a minor or major issue of being a girl: from make-up to laser procedures to get rid of facial hair, skincare, clothes, the world of online dating and so on. With a smile on her face and an always polite and lively approach, Dylan explained her views, challenges and achievements every day, and if someone offended her, she asked her followers not to attack the negative user. Soon a group of supporters formed around her, ready to protect her from the pitfalls of the internet and very grateful for what she does for the whole community.

When Dylan, thanks in part to this unexpected popularity - which soon became a job - was able to undergo facial feminisation surgery, for example, she created a campaign to introduce her "new face"," the final video of which, the reveal video, garnered 3.4 million likes and 26.8 million views on TikTok alone.



The Dylan story did not stop there, however, and soon broke through the walls of social media. With success and virality came an overwhelming pace that was unmanageable for anyone - first honours, invitations to New York Fashion Week shows (in the audience but also on the catwalk) and talk shows, brand deals (including one with Nike).




One of her brand collaborations in particular is causing a worrying number of attacks, even in Italy. It is the collaboration with Bud Light, a historic US brand of cheap blonde beer. Bud Light sent Dylan a case of customised beer cans as part of its marketing campaign for March Madness (the NCAA basketball tournament that takes place precisely between March and April). Some conservative Americans responded by loudly boycotting the company, buying the iconic blue cans and then theatrically throwing them into bins, filming themselves doing so and posting them on social media, or simply leaving an avalanche of negative comments on the brand's social pages. Kid Rock even shot beer cans to show his displeasure. One would be inclined to see the issue as just another social media controversy, amplified by bubbles and non-existent in the outside world, were it not for the fact that these boycott attempts (which are futile in more ways than one, Bud Light has not retreated one iota) have been cannibalised in both the United States and Italy with opinion pieces that set back the debate on gender stereotypes by years, perhaps decades, and contribute unabated to ghettoising the trans community, which is at a particularly delicate juncture.

Indeed, it is no coincidence that criticism of Dylan Mulvaney has not only come from conservative US Americans. Indeed, some women who call themselves Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists (TERFs) have criticised his willingness to carry tampons and pads with him at all times to give away to those in need whom he might encounter in women's toilets. Not only that, it seems that the same people spread the news, later denied by Tampax on Twitter, that Dylan Mulvaney had become the highly paid face of the feminine hygiene products brand.




These attacks of Fake News and blatant demonstrations that only appear to be bipartisan seem to stem from the same will: to silence the voices of trans people and perpetuate the condition. To no avail. Dylan is unstoppable. She has contracts and endorsements with bigger and bigger brands, she has launched a live show on TikTok inspired by her show, and the number of her followers and supporters is not decreasing, no matter what scandal you try to pin on her, it is actually increasing. More and more transgender boys and girls feel understood and inspired by her journey, and her character has become a symbol and reminder of the fundamental importance of representation, despite everything.