The beauty influencer and content creator behind the viral “demure” trend has a lot to celebrate this summer.
Jools Lebron, who is a Cuban transgender woman, shared in a TikTok video last week that internet fame has “changed my life” and will allow her to take the next step in living as her true self.
“One day, I was playing cashier and making videos on my break,” she said. “And now, I’m flying across [the] country to host events, and I’m going to be able to finance the rest of my transition.”
“I finally said it without crying,” she added.
In a follow-up video posted on Saturday, Lebron acknowledged that she felt “overwhelmed” by the attention she’s garnered before quipping, “But I’m living my fucking dream, bitch!”
The “demure” trend can be traced back to a video posted by Lebron on Aug. 2, in which Lebron offered her take on makeup and hairstyles in the workplace, saying, “See how I come to work? Very demure. Very mindful.”
The video has been viewed more than 6 million times on TikTok.
The term “demure fall” has been embraced as a follow-up to “brat summer,” which was inspired by Charli XCX’s smash album, “Brat.” And Lebron’s words and sound bite have been embraced by a host of A-list celebrities, including Jennifer Lopez and Lindsay Lohan.
Last week, Netflix shared a short clip on Instagram of actor Penn Badgley showing off his “very demure, very mindful” workout gear while wrapping the final episode of his thriller series, “You.” And on Saturday, the White House joined in on the fun, posting a snapshot of President Joe Biden in the Oval Office on the social media platform.
“Canceling the student debt of nearly 5 million Americans through various actions,” the photo’s caption read. “Very mindful. Very demure.”
Speaking to “CBS Mornings” last week, Lebron said she found her own community through social media and was grateful to be paying it forward by helping unify people from different walks of life.
“When I did start making TikToks, I found more girls like me,” she said. “I found girls who are plus size, who are trans, who are having the same experiences that come uniquely with that set of combinations.”
As for how she personally defines “demure,” she explained, “It’s being mindful and considerate of the people around you, but also of yourself and how you present to the world.”