Mercury Stardust: ‘The Trans Handy Ma’am’

Mercury Stardust, AKA the “Trans Handy Ma’am,” became known for through TikTok after a video went viral showing how to do those home repair and DIY projects you might not be familiar with. Every year since 2022, Mercury hosted a Tiktok-A-Thon for transgender healthcare. Proceeds from the livee stream go directly to Point of Pride which is a non-profit that provides financial aid and direct support for transgender health and wellness care.

OFM had the chance to connect with Mercury to learn a little bit more about who she is.

Can you tell us a little about your journey to becoming Mercury Stardust, the “Trans Handy Ma’am”?

My journey to becoming the Trans Handy Ma’am started out of necessity. As a renter, I often found myself needing to fix things around my home but didn’t have the resources to hire professionals. I started learning through trial and error, online tutorials, and hands-on experience. Over time, I realized that many people—especially renters and marginalized communities—felt excluded from the world of home repair. I decided to share what I’d learned to help others feel empowered and capable. Combining my love for DIY with my passion for advocacy, I created the persona of the Trans Handy Ma’am to make home maintenance accessible, inclusive, and fun.

Your platform has done a lot to bring visibility to the trans community. What role do you think visibility plays in fostering acceptance, especially in fields that are less diverse?

Visibility is incredibly powerful. When people see someone like me thriving in a field that’s traditionally less diverse, it challenges stereotypes and opens doors for others. Representation helps normalize our existence and shows that transgender people are capable, talented, and deserving of respect. In fields like home repair, which are often seen as male-dominated, visibility can break down barriers and create opportunities for more women and LGBTQ+ individuals to feel welcome and valued.

You’ve made DIY and home improvement more accessible and welcoming. What’s one common misconception people have about home repairs and maintenance?

One common misconception is that home repairs are only for professionals or homeowners. Many renters feel like they can’t or shouldn’t fix things in their homes, but that’s not true! Basic maintenance is for everyone, and learning these skills can make you feel more secure and self-reliant. My goal is to show people that they’re capable of handling these tasks, no matter their experience level.

For someone who feels intimidated by tools or fixing things around the house, where would you recommend they start?

Start small! Pick one simple task, like unclogging a drain or fixing a loose screw, and watch a tutorial or read a guide. Remember, it’s OK to make mistakes—That’s how we learn. My book Safe and Sound is a great resource for beginners because it breaks things down into easy, manageable steps.

Given the state of trans rights, what do you hope to accomplish in the next few years, both in your personal advocacy and professional work?

In the next few years, I hope to continue using my platform to advocate for transgender rights and raise awareness about the importance of gender-affirming care. Professionally, I want to expand my DIY content and create even more resources to help people feel confident in their homes. I’m also planning more fundraising events to support organizations that provide critical resources for the transgender community, such as my annual fundraiser TDOV Stream-A-Thon for trans health.  In the past three years, we have raised $4.5 million to help other trans people access gender-affirming care who often wouldn’t be able to access it otherwise.

In the current political climate, what’s one thing you wish more people, especially cisgender individuals, understood about the experiences of trans people?

That if you support and praise us for finding who we are, please don’t shame or demonize us for being lost. Transness is sometimes messy; changes in life often are. What is a bigger change than radically changing how the world and others see you?  Being a true supporter of the trans experience is making space for what that may actually look like in reality.  The moment we reveal our true selves doesn’t erase the past, but it does contextualize it.  For trans women, we may have been perceived as men for a large portion of our lives, but we were never men.  There is always a part of your brain that knows you aren’t instinctively without fully understanding.  We are women treated as men in a system that harms and abuses women.  We were surviving and stumbling in the world that awards a man for mistakes but no one else.  That is messy.  That is hard.  That is a reality many of us have to live with, but understanding we need to make space for that within not just our community but in society.

What would you say to other trans people who might be struggling with the political climate and feeling discouraged or unsafe?

The outside world does not know and won’t understand us right now.  There are no ambulances coming.  Our home is on fire, and no one wants to grab a hose.  We won’t have a hero coming to save us.  We are on our own as a community.  Rely on those around us, seek and build that community.  Do not allow other’s  perception of you to block or limit your journey.  We fight best when we thrive together.  Become a part of the trades, the medical field, and politics. Take up that space.  Now is not the time to wait for others to rescue us, but to take our lives in our own hands the best we can.  They will continue to limit our rights.  But instead of taking away rights from a trans person, make them say they took the rights away from a plumber, lawyer, doctor, teacher or senator.  Make them come to terms with the reality that their hate for us cannot shackle us to their narrow expectations.  Your dreams are obtainable; they are achievable. Allow no one to tell you otherwise. It is that hope, that sense of possibility, that brings that sun back over that horizon. We know who and what we are, now is a time to show the world.  If you are not able to, know and understand the community has your back.  You are absolutely valuable and loved, it will take all forms of our humanity to win this fight. You are worth the time it takes to be you.

Make sure to tune in and support Point of Pride for the 4th annual TDOV Stream-A-Thon for Trans health on Mercury’s TikTok page.

Photo Credit Azena Photography