Our Day with Megan Mitchell
Our Youth Council recently had the amazing opportunity at their July meeting to speak with Megan Mitchell, WLWT anchor and TikTok star. The 10 member council meets monthly to brainstorm programming ideas and take leadership roles at Transform. Meeting Mitchell gave them insight into being an LGBT public figure, balancing work and mental health, and what success can look like as a queer person.
Like many teenagers, our members were very interested in building a presence on TikTok. Mitchell boasts over 1 million followers on the app. She credits it with giving her the confidence to express herself: “I would say TikTok has made me feel more okay with breaking these gender norms. I think the For You page specifically is so catered to what you’re interested in. I kept getting all of these lesbians in suits, and I was just so inspired by the content I was seeing on the platform and the feedback I was seeing on the platform from everyone. People were saying, ‘Wow, that’s a fly suit.’ And I was like, ‘Oh my God, that means so much,’ because I feel best in a suit.”
Megan even helped us create our very own TikTok (view it here!). Our Youth Council members were happy to have some guidance from an expert. The video has received over 20,000 likes, and a recent client actually mentioned that they found our shop through TikTok.
Mitchell also delved into more personal topics, fielding questions about mental health and family. At one point, a member shared their concern about an upcoming wedding. They wanted wear an androgynous outfit, but were worried about judgement from their family. Megan responded with empathy, advising them to operate within their comfort level. But she also recognized the impact of visibility, saying, “There may be someone at that wedding that could be totally inspired by you.”
At Transform, we try to cultivate an environment where everyone is free to be their true self, regardless of societal expectations. As Megan Mitchell put it, “When I say Trans Liberation, that’s what I imagine.” We couldn’t have asked for a better guest to learn from.