Approximately 500 SLU students filled the Wool Ballroom in the Busch Student Center after waiting patiently in line to see transgender social media influencer and activist Dylan Mulvaney at Saint Louis University on April 22. Protests erupted at Mulvaney’s arrival, supporting and disproving her presence.

While students were picking out their seats, a group of about 15 protestors were gathered outside, holding up signs that read “God! Help Us!” and chanting Catholic prayers.

Michael Gomez, a protestor and National Guardsman not affiliated with SLU attended the event in protest of Mulvaney’s presence on campus.

“We’re protesting today because a man will never be a woman and a woman will never be a man. Despite how many shots, hormones, or surgeries one gets, there is no such thing as switching genders. God loves us all. He made us in his image,” Gomez said.

Despite the protest occurring outside, when the event started and Mulvaney finally walked on stage, the huge crowd of students erupted in applause, giving Mulvaney a standing ovation before the influencer even said a word.

Hayley Knapik, a junior at SLU, expressed that they were more than excited to show their support for Mulvaney at this event.

“She’s just been so resolute in prioritizing her joy, when she’s able to, during everything that’s been happening. It’s just really inspiring, and I just wanted the opportunity to just hear her talk for longer than a 32-second video,” Knapik said.

The event, put together by the SLU Great Issues Committee, began with two of its members asking Mulvaney a variety of questions, ranging from her experiences growing up as a closeted member of the LGBTQ+ community to her favorite “Day of Girlhood.”

Mulvaney initially became TikTok famous following her “Days of Girlhood” series on TikTok, documenting her day-by-day transition and coming out experience.

A year ago, however, Mulvaney came under fire after she posted a marketing video that featured a Bud Light can the company sent to her, with her face printed on the side. Many consumers were upset by this partnership and as a result, many started boycotting the brand.

During the second half of the event, the GIC panelists asked Mulvaney questions sent in by attendees. One of those questions asked the activist how she managed to stay so positive despite facing backlash.

“I had been so tempted to become… a little bit of like a jaded [bitch] over the past year because there have been so many days when it feels like the world is against me and I could choose to give into that… I think a lot about earnestness, which is sort of just pure intention, and I think that’s why I can still find positivity… I will always try to find some level of earnestness and innocence,” Mulvaney said.

While Mulvaney was giving her talk, OccupySLU posted a call-to-action on their Instagram asking for anyone able to join a counter-protest in hopes of driving off the protestors that were stationed outside of the BSC.

Two counter-protestors, Amicia and Gracynn, who saw OccupySLU’s post and decided to join the effort were from a non-SLU-affiliated group, the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

The two spoke about the things the protestors were saying to them, claiming they were called “rainbow bullies” and asked repeatedly what their pronouns were.

“Once we [the counter-protest] started getting bigger, they [the protest] started trickling away,” Amicia said.

The two said they had heard that Mulvaney would be coming onto campus and expected a protest to form so they were on standby.

In an interview with the University News, Mulvaney said that connecting with her audience face-to-face is something she likes to do as much as possible, which is why she started speaking at colleges in the first place.

“I think I’ve always felt that for any of the negatives of what might present itself as protestors or people that don’t enjoy someone like me, the love has been tenfold… That hate isn’t tangible because I get to see all of the love and support in real life, and it gives me hope because I know that we are going to be able to make a change in a positive direction,” Mulvaney said.