Point of Pride Stream-a-Thon Aims to Raise Millions for Transgender Healthcare

Mercury Stardust, the Trans Handy Ma’am herself, is teaming up once more with Point of Pride to raise funds that will help transgender people afford life-saving healthcare.

The 5th Annual Stream-a-Thon for Trans Health will start at 6 p.m. CST on March 30 and runs until midnight on March 31, which is Trans Day of Visibility. The livestream will air on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitch. Those who wish to donate ahead of time can give here.

Mercury Stardust, aka the Trans Handy Ma’am, has mobilized tens of thousands of donors every year. To this date, she and Point of Pride have raised more than $5 million with more than 120,000 contributing. Last year’s live-stream raised over $1 million with 29,000 donors donating an average of $37. The largest donation was $5,100.

Along with Trans Day of Visibility, this Stream-a-Thon will celebrate Point of Pride’s 10th anniversary and its continued mission of offering financial aid and direct support to trans people in need of health and wellness care. All funds raised will support grants and programs that help people access this life-saving care, such as gender-affirming surgery, hormone replacement therapy, permanent hair removal services and more.

By a general estimate, there are 2.8 million transgender adults across the United States. Many people who are transgender need specialized healthcare that affirms their identities. This may include hormone replacement therapy, body and facial hair removal, and surgeries. Yet transgender people can struggle to access this life-saving care. On average, 29.4% of transgender people experience poverty. And with anti-equality politicians at the federal level and in states across the country working tirelessly to revoke the transgender community’s access to healthcare, the barriers to getting this care are growing.

Yet when trans people are able to access the care they need, the difference is profound. Gender affirming healthcare can vastly improve a transgender person’s quality of life.

The 5th Annual Stream-a-Thon for Trans Health is an opportunity not just to counter these attacks on transgender peoples’ access to healthcare but to celebrate trans joy: the power of being able to finally live freely, comfortably and safely in one’s body.

“What started as a drag show in a dive bar to raise 1k for gender affirming care for local transgender community members, turned into a 24-hour livestream to raise $24,000. That has now grown into the largest transgender-focused fundraiser in the world,” said Mercury Stardust, author and influencer. “And as a trans woman myself, I know how meaningful this support is—both for morale and for access to gender-affirming care. If all I need to do is sit in front of a camera, laugh, giggle, and sometimes cry, that feels like a small effort for something that can create massive change.”

“We have always appreciated our years-long partnership with Mercury Stardust and our community’s generosity,” said Aydian Dowling, Chief Advancement Officer of Point of Pride. “Even long before we began Point of Pride, we have always understood that when we have access to the healthcare we need, we thrive. We’re here now and we’ll be here always with our trans siblings in centering joy and affirmation.”