TikTok star Mercury Stardust, better known online as the Trans Handy Ma’am, exceeded her ambitious goal of raising $1 million for trans healthcare during a 30-hour live stream on Transgender Day of Visibility, March 31.
Last year, Mercury aimed to raise $24,000 in the span of 24 hours, and her incredible audience exceeded that goal by donating over $120,000 in one day. This year, she decided to try and raise $1 million in 30 hours during a live stream.
After the TikTok legend announced the fundraiser, a negative comment asked why anyone would donate to the cause. Mercury shared how every day, people try to tell her how she should be living her life, and she made a pitch about why everyone should donate.
In the video, she goes on to explain how medical gender affirmation is necessary for a lot of trans people, and “All we’re trying to do is bring people a little bit of joy and help them along the way.”
@mercurystardust Replying to @brosephine_c I don’t expect everyone to understand, but the lack of compassion is what gets me. #Lgbtqia #queer #Trans #compassion #community
She began the live stream at 10pm GMT on March 30, and promised to include a variety of guest stars, fun, music, and games. Her audience began donating immediately, and she asked them to share the live stream to help it reach more people. Clearly, it worked.
She had hoped the wider TikTok community would donate out of compassion and understanding for trans people and that her one million dollar goal would be reached within 30 hours. To her surprise, they reached the goal within the first six hours! The Handy Ma’am said, “We made a promise to you that this was going to be a 30-hour live stream, and we’ve got 24 hours left.”
@mercurystardust
She celebrated the milestone alongside her co-host, Jory (@AlluringSkull), a content creator, advocate, and artist who was arrested while live streaming and peacefully protesting during a Black Lives Matter demonstration in 2020. As a Black Trans woman, Jory uses her platform to support marginalised Americans through thoughtful commentary and comedy because “she believes advocacy and joy are the keystones of liberation”.
Their joy is contagious as they celebrate the $1,000,000 goal reached. They go on to explain how much the trans community deserves this hope and happiness right now.
@mercurystardust @sweet_sin_87 We have 24hrs left. We are now going for 2 million dollars #Lgbtqia #1millionfortranshealth #queer #trans
All of the TikTok donations are going towards meeting healthcare needs for trans people, including providing chest binders and femme shapewear, permanent hair removal services and access to gender-affirming surgery. The fundraiser was set up to support those who do not have the financial resources or health insurance coverage necessary to obtain these services.
On her fundraiser page, Mercury explains more about how gender-affirming clothing like chest binders and shapewear allows trans people to feel comfortable and safe. All of these supplies will be mailed with discrete packaging to trans folks in all 50 US states, as well as 98 other countries.
Mercury Stardust and Aluring Skull just raised over 1 MILLION dollars for Trans Healthcare in the first 6 hours of their live stream!!! My heart is soaring and my eyes are pouring :’)
I have no words for how happy and grateful I am! #TransDayOfVisibility #translivesmatter pic.twitter.com/QyFOzjSScX
— Benbo benjamincallins.bsky.social 🍉 (@BenjaminCallins) March 31, 2023
When she’s not raising funds for the community, the Trans Handy Ma’am is creating easy, DIY educational content for anyone interested in home repair. With speciality areas in rental maintenance, landlord negotiations, clogs, drywall, painting, minor electrical repairs, and caulking, her helpful content has earned her over 2.2 million followers on TikTok.
In addition to being a professional home maintenance technician who shares DIY knowledge, Mercury Stardust is also a performer and award-winning LGBTQ+ activist.
The fundraiser reached $1.3 million at the time of publishing this piece.
© 2023 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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