TikTok-a-Thon for Trans Healthcare
{{Short description|Annual virtual fundraiser}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox organization
| image =
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| alt =
| caption = Mercury Stardust, creator and co host of the TikTok-a-Thon for Trans Healthcare
| type = Fundraiser
| founded_date = {{Start date|2022}}
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| founder = Mercury Stardust
| location = TikTok
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| area_served = Worldwide
| product =
| focus = Transgender health care
| method = Fundraiser on TikTok and Twitch
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| homepage = {{URL|https://www.pointofpride.org/keepup}}
| dissolved =
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}}
The TikTok-a-Thon for Trans Healthcare is a yearly fundraiser to raise money for transgender health care. The fundraiser is a livestream organised by trans TikTok influencers Mercury Stardust and alluringskull to fundraise for the mutual aid nonprofit Point of Pride. The fundraiser is organised for March 31, International Transgender Day of Visibility and has raised over $4 million.
Description
The fundraiser is hosted by Mercury Stardust, known as the Trans Handy Ma'am, and a TikToker named Jory, known as alluringskull.{{Cite web |date=March 31, 2023 |title=These Trans Creators Have Raised Over $2 Million for Trans Healthcare on TikTok Live |url=https://www.them.us/story/trans-handy-maam-tiktok-live-trans-day-of-visibility-fundraiser |access-date=April 1, 2024 |website=Them |language=en-US}} The TikTok-a-Thon for Trans Healthcare guests has included the Point of Pride cofounder Aydian Dowling, Dylan Mulvaney, Mama Tot, V Spehar, makeup artist Darius Hall,{{Cite web |last=Jaeckels |first=Beck |title=TikTokers are hosting a 30-hour livestream to raise money for trans healthcare — they hit $1 million in just 6 hours |url=https://www.insider.com/tiktokers-hosting-charity-livestream-for-trans-healthcare-2023-3 |access-date=April 10, 2023 |website=Insider |language=en-US}} Ve'ondre Mitchell, and Zaya Perysian.{{Cite web |date=March 29, 2024 |title=Last Year, This TikTok Duo Raised $2 Million for Trans Healthcare. This Year, They're Doubling It |url=https://www.them.us/story/jory-mercury-stardust-trans-day-of-visibility-2024-fundraiser |access-date=April 1, 2024 |website=Them |language=en-US}}
The campaign raises funds for transgender healthcare provided by the nonprofit organization Point of Pride, an organization that provides gender-affirming care. The care funded by the fundraiser includes; chest binders, femme shapewear, hormone therapy, telehealth access, permanent hair removal and gender-affirming surgery.{{Cite web |title=Keep Up on the TikTok-a-Thon for Trans Health! |url=https://www.pointofpride.org/keepup |access-date=April 1, 2024 |website=www.pointofpride.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=April 1, 2023 |title=TikTok Stars Raise Over $1 Million For Trans Health In Virtual Fundraiser, Aim To Get $2 Million |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/international/tiktok-stars-raise-over-1-million-for-trans-health-in-virtual-fundraiser-aim-to-get-2-million-news-275320 |access-date=April 1, 2024 |website=Outlook India |language=en}} 90% of funds are used to support trans healthcare through Point of Pride's Gender Affirming Care Access scholarships and grants.{{Cite web |last=DiBenedetto |first=Chase |date=March 31, 2023 |title=TikTokkers, led by Mercury Stardust, double $1 million livestream goal for trans healthcare |url=https://mashable.com/article/tiktok-transgender-healthcare-fundraiser-mercury-stardust |access-date=April 1, 2024 |website=Mashable |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=2022 & 2023 Annual Report |url=https://www.pointofpride.org/hubfs/docs/2022-2023-AnnualReport.pdf?hsLang=en |website=Point of Pride}} Stardust has said about the event: "In a time that often feels like it is hard for us to even exist publicly, it's nice to have a refreshing moment of hope."
In 2022, Stardust and Jory hosted the first "TikTok-a-thon" to coincide with International Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31. Originally aiming to raise $24,000, it raised more than $120,000.{{cite web |last=Baska |first=Maggie |date=March 25, 2022 |title=TikTok's 'trans handy ma'am' is fighting for equality while solving your DIY woes |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2022/03/25/mercury-stardust-trans-handy-maam-tiktok/ |access-date=April 10, 2023 |website=PinkNews }} The 2023 fundraiser was a 30-hour livestream on both TikTok and Twitch.{{Cite web |date=March 31, 2023 |title=TikTokers raise over $1M for trans healthcare, gender-affirming surgeries |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/tiktok-fundraiser-trans-surgery-hrt-rcna77653 |access-date=April 10, 2023 |website=NBC News |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=April 17, 2023 |title=From Fundraising to Impact: How Point of Pride will utilize TikTok-a-Thon funding |url=https://www.pointofpride.org/blog/from-fundraising-to-impact-how-point-of-pride-will-utilize-tiktok-a-thon-funding |access-date=April 19, 2023 |website=www.pointofpride.org |language=en-us}} The livestream raised more than $100,000 in its first hour and $1 million in its first six hours. In total, the event raised more than $2 million from 57,500 donors.{{cite web |last=Hansford |first=Amelia |date=April 3, 2023 |title=Joyful queer TikTok-a-thon raises millions for trans healthcare |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/04/03/tiktok-stream-mercury-stardust-jory-trans-point-of-pride/ |access-date=April 1, 2024 |website=PinkNews }} For 2024, Point of Pride set a fundraising goal of $4 million.{{Cite web |date=March 29, 2024 |title=How and where to celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility in Southern California |url=https://www.pressenterprise.com/2024/03/29/how-and-where-to-celebrate-transgender-day-of-visibility-in-socal/ |access-date=April 1, 2024 |website=San Bernardino Sun |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=March 1, 2024 |title=Announcing Mercury & Jory's 3rd Annual TikTok-a-Thon for Trans Health! |url=https://www.pointofpride.org/blog/announcing-the-2024-tiktok-a-thon |access-date=April 1, 2024 |website=www.pointofpride.org |language=en-us}} Within the first ten hours of the event, Stardust's and Jory's TikTok accounts were banned nine times due to mass reporting from trolls, resulting in multiple interruptions.{{Cite web |last=Mills |first=Emily |date=April 2, 2024 |title=Mercury Stardust's annual fundraiser for trans health care hit with troll attack and TikTok ban |url=https://ourliveswisconsin.com/article/mercury-stardusts-annual-fundraiser-for-trans-health-care-hit-with-troll-attack-and-tiktok-ban/ |access-date=April 2, 2024 |website=Our Lives}} As of April 9, 2024, the fundraiser has raised $2 million.{{Cite web |title=2024 TikTok-a-Thon for Trans Health |url=https://secure.givelively.org/donate/point-of-pride/2024-tiktok-a-thon-for-trans-health |website=givelively.org}}
References
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External links
- {{Official website|https://www.pointofpride.org/keepup}}
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Category:2022 establishments in the United States
Category:2022 in Internet culture
Category:2022 in LGBTQ history
Category:Charity events in the United States
Category:Transgender health care