For Dylan Mulvaney, winning a Streamy Award is a sign of hope, not only for herself, but for the trans community too.
The 26-year-old TikToker — who documented her transitioning journey for over a year on the app — took home her first win for breakout creator at Sunday’s award show honoring online creators across music, comedy, food, gaming and more.
“I feel like I just blacked out. That was the best moment of my year so far,” Mulvaney tells PEOPLE exclusively of her win backstage. “I feel so so happy.”
Mulvaney’s milestone win is about more than just the award, though.
“It just means a lot to me, but I also think that the fact a trans person can win an award like this in such a scary time of transphobia — it makes me feel like there’s hope,” she shares.
In her acceptance speech, Mulvaney joked that she was “shocked” to snag a trophy, joking that the only award she ever expected to win was “maybe a Tony Award.”
After calling herself “a musical theater gal with a Streamy,” Mulvaney recognized how her TikTok series, “Days of Girlhood,” changed her life “for the better.” She added, “On the flip side, there’s also been an extreme amount of transphobia and hate, and I know that my community is feeling it.”
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As the speech continued, Mulvaney went on to call for allies “to support trans people publicly and proudly.”
Mulvaney took the stage in an Old Hollywood-style look featuring a striking ruby red minidress adorned with a bow and a glamorous side-swept hairstyle. Before commanding the red carpet in said ensemble, Mulvaney celebrated the event at home, ecstatically dancing to MARINA’s pop hit “Primadonna” as seen in a TikTok video also shared to her Instagram Story.
Michael Buckner/Penske Media via Getty
Today, Mulvaney has over 12 million followers across both apps. Mulvaney’s popular day-in-the-life videos centering on girlhood — which began with her “day one of being a girl” video uploaded in March 2022 — chronicle the joyful, emotional and intimate parts of her life, including the results of her facial feminization surgery (FFS) shared on day 320.
She celebrated the final day of her year in the biggest way — hosting her own variety show, “Day 365 of Being a Girl,” at New York City’s Rainbow Room earlier this year.
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If there’s any message Mulvaney has taken with her, it’s to keep persisting. “I have learned that I am capable of more than I could’ve ever expected and that it’s worth holding on for. In the moments of dark afterwards there comes a light and I think I’m feeling light again,” she tells PEOPLE at the Streamy Awards.
“To anyone out there who doesn’t feels like they can be themselves, just know that I love you and that hopefully one day you will feel safe and loved enough to be your authentic self,” she adds.
The 2023 Streamy Awards aired live from Los Angeles on Sunday, Aug. 27 on YouTube.
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