Tati Bruening
Disruptors
Dylan Mulvaney
Meet one of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
It’s been less than two years since actress, comedian, and TikTok personality Dylan Mulvaney came out as a transgender woman. In that time, she has become the target of an incredible amount of hatred, especially after she met with President Biden to discuss trans issues at a presidential forum in 2022. Unforgettably, there was also the right-wing backlash to her Bud Light can. But the 26-year-old has shouldered the negative attention with grace, thanks in part to her supporters.
“The largest obstacle I have faced this last year was the unprecedented amount of hate and transphobia that I’ve received from the media,” says Mulvaney. “I continue to overcome it by surrounding myself with empathetic people and connecting to my audience who I know sees me for what I truly am.”
But her journey has also opened doors — for herself and others. When Mulvaney first came out in March 2022, she began to document her transition on TikTok with a series called Days of Girlhood, which won her a TikTok Trailblazer honor and a Streamy Award. In March 2023 she commemorated one year of Days of Girlhood with a one-night only performance called Dylan Mulvaney’s Day 365 Live!, which featured performances and appearances from notable LGBTQ+ celebrities, including Alexandra Billings, Dominique Jackson, Delaware State Sen. Sarah McBride, and Reneé Rapp.
“[This year], I am most proud of my Day 365 Live! show celebrating my first year of transitioning,” says Mulvaney. “It was an opportunity to show my followers what I really love to do, which is perform onstage.”
In 2024 Mulvaney is excited to continue advocating for the trans community and hopes to broaden her audience and her medium. And she’s set her sights high — she recently made headlines by auditioning for Cabaret on Broadway. “I am ready to take what I’ve built online and bring it mainstream; bringing trans joy through books, TV, film, and theater!” she exclaims.
“There are so many ways people can relate to the queer community outside of our identity,” Mulvaney adds. “So if they are struggling to relate, [my advice is to] find a new way in.” @dylanmulvaney
Disruptors
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland
Meet one of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
Photo by Luke Fontana
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland — the national executive director and chief negotiator for SAG-AFTRA — oversees the world’s largest entertainment union, which boasts over 160,000 members. And along with SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher, he’s one of the faces of their strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
As one of the few out leaders of a major entertainment group, Crabtree-Ireland knows that the fight for labor and LGBTQ+ equality go hand in hand. “One of the things that we’re fighting for is basic equity, inclusion, and fairness in the industry,” he says. “And I’m proud to say that SAG-AFTRA has been at the forefront of making sure that the entire American scene is represented on film, television, and streaming — and that’s a fight that we’re in for the long run.”
And there is a lesson to be learned from the strike to advance change, which is the power of solidarity. “When we stand together and when we fight together, that’s how we win,” he says. “Division always weakens us. Unity strengthens us.”
The outcome of Crabtree-Ireland’s advocacy through the SAG-AFTRA strike will determine the future of how actors and other entertainment professionals are treated in show business, as technological advances like streaming services and AI impact their careers and livelihoods. But the country’s largest strike in 26 years has also helped fuel a revolution for workers in hospitality, the automotive industry, and beyond.
This revolution shows the power of a compelling narrative. In fact, one of his biggest challenges during the strike was the task of clearly communicating SAG-AFTRA’s message “with the rest of the community, the industry, and the world so that everyone understood why we’re in the fight that we’re in, and how it was going to change everything for the better.” Clearly, the message has gotten through.
This year, Crabtree-Ireland is proud “to fight against the biggest companies in the world and say we demand to be treated with respect and fairness.” @duncanci