“My goal has been to separate myself from my family”: Vivian Wilson Talks Trans Advocacy, Fame, and Modeling at the Teen Vogue Summit 2025
Written by Dana Albala
Image courtesy of Michael Buckner
During this year’s Teen Vogue Summit, the iconic magazine hosted a range of speaker panels featuring diverse voices in the entertainment industry, one of them being Vivian Wilson.
I remember the first time she popped up on my TikTok For You Page, and it was the perfect introduction to who she was. The video included a screenshot of an X post by Elon Musk declaring that his son had been“ killed by the woke mind virus.” Vivian, being the so-called“ son” in question, responded by lip-syncing to a Morgan McMichaels audio clip from the premiere of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars season 3. From then on, she became both a recurring figure on my feed and an icon for the trans community, especially Gen Z.
From clips of her strutting in towering Christian Louboutin heels to videos of her tossing her long blonde hair to Nicki Minaj tracks, Vivian has built a reputation on wit, confidence, and unapologetic authenticity.
Last Saturday, I had the honor of attending her panel, where she was interviewed by News and Politics Editor Lex McMenamin and Editor-in-Chief Versha Sharma. One of the first conversations of the day offered candid insights into Vivian’s life as a trans icon, entertainer, and, most recently, a model. The moment I saw her name in the program, I knew I had to be there.
Although she is often recognized for her TikTok content and her decision to distance herself from being the daughter of the“ richest person in the world,” as Sharma pointed out, Vivian spoke openly about entering a new chapter as a New York Fashion Week model. Reflecting on her debut, she described it as“ chaotic and grateful,” recalling how she walked the runway encased in a metal tube, wearing a striking armor-like dress at the CHRISHABANA show (Forbes).
When asked about her online presence, Vivian explained that her success comes from not overthinking her content.“ I do what I feel like and then people watch it sometimes,” she remarked, encouraging more people to embrace being“ cringe.”
Her rising visibility, especially after gracing the cover of Teen Vogue’s special edition this year, has also brought more hate.“ I am currently an icon in TERF Twitter,” she noted. Yet instead of discouraging her, the backlash only pushes her to keep sharing her story and advocating for her political views.
On a more serious note, she reflected on how trans people are often demonized in media and politics, that they are often painted as dangerous through widespread misinformation. With humor, she undercut that narrative:“ I’m not gonna shoot anyone! I’m a model! What do you think I’m gonna do? Beat someone with these arms? That’s not gonna happen!”
“I’m not gonna shoot anyone! I’m a model!”
Later, Vivian opened up about her medical transition, emphasizing that access to healthcare“ saved her life.” She pointed out how mainstream outlets rarely cover the dangers of limited access to gender-affirming care, focusing instead on detransition statistics to sow division. Nearly in tears, and holding Lex’s hand, she reminded the audience:“ People don’t understand it’s life-saving care, and we shouldn’t be rolling back this care for trans youth who need it.”
To close the panel, Vivian looked to the future. She spoke about continuing her work in both modeling and drag.“ I love the drag community. They have been so amazing and supportive,” she reflected, leaving the audience with a sense of resilience and hope.
Vivian’s journey is only just beginning, and I look forward to seeing her not only light up TikTok feeds, but also grace the covers of major publications everywhere.
