Meet Dylan Mulvaney's Parents, Including Her Father, the Cookie-Baking Legend
"I was a very feminine kid. There was no one who liked the color pink more than I did."
Published March 11 2025, 12:11 p.m. ET
Transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney became widely known online after documenting her transition journey for 365 days in Days of Girlhood. Being an influencer suited her well, but she has since transitioned into another chapter of her life — her career. Dylan is now an actor, author, and has collaborated with major brands like CeraVe, Ulta Beauty, and Kate Spade. She’s the epitome of "go big or go home" — and she went big, with an impressive net worth to prove it.
There’s plenty we know about Dylan, but some details about her life aren’t as widely discussed, like her parents. So, who are the people credited with bringing Dylan into the world? Here's everything we know about them!
Who are Dylan Mulvaney's parents?
Dylan Mulvaney's parents are Jim Mulvaney Jr. and Donna Mulvaney, and they’re from San Diego. Dylan’s father is a philanthropist, according to The New York Post. In a 2020 TikTok video, Dylan explained that her father gave up his "drug and alcohol addiction to be a better dad to [her]," though he developed another addiction — baking cookies. Dylan revealed that he would bake 500 cookies per week and hand them out to "random strangers." He has since been dubbed the "Cookie Man."
As for Dylan’s mom, Donna, she learned from Dylan at a young age that "God made a mistake" in terms of the gender she was assigned at birth, Dylan explained in a 2025 interview with CBS Mornings. Dylan says she told her mom this when she was just 4 years old. Dylan ultimately came out as gay at the age of 14, but it took another decade for her to fully embrace her life as the person she was meant to be.
Dylan Mulvaney's family is very supportive of her.
Although Dylan revealed during her lecture at Penn State in 2023 that she was estranged from her mother for six months during her transition, per DailyMail, her family has been very supportive of her from the start. Her uncle, Brian Mulvaney, shared with The New York Post in 2023 that the family "loves her" and that they "always knew she was gay." He added, "She comes from a good family who loves and supports her. She really loved her grandmother, who completely supported her."
In a 2021 Instagram tribute to her grandmother, Ruth Mulvaney, Dylan shared a photo of herself as a child wearing a Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz costume, with Ruth right beside her, smiling ear to ear. "Her smiling face embracing her grandchild wearing that costume is a testament to the goodness she had in every fiber of her being," Dylan pointed out.
She also recalled another moment in 2020 when her grandmother showed interest in her life without judgment. "Another favorite moment was when I was over about a year ago, and she asked if I had a girlfriend. I froze, and she quickly picked up and went, 'Or do you have a boyfriend?' And I said, 'not yet.' She said, 'you will,' and gave me the biggest smile."
Despite the ups and downs Dylan has faced, it's clear her family is behind her, backing her up every step of the way.