TikTok star Jools Lebron. (Getty)

Jools Lebron, the trans creator behind the viral “very demure, very mindful” trend, has said she is stepping away from TikTok after facing criticism over a fundraiser for dental treatment.

Lebron, 33, launched a GoFundMe over the weekend seeking $45,000 for dental surgery, explaining that her teeth had been badly damaged as a result of her past struggles with addiction, something she has spoken about openly before.

“I’m very uncomfortable making this video, because this is a video I thought I would never have to make,” she said, describing the treatment as necessary to end ongoing pain and calling the situation “embarrassing”.

After some online users questioned the fundraiser, Lebron deleted it, telling followers that everyone who had donated would be refunded. “GoFundMe has been deleted, I’m getting the work done, thank you,” she wrote in a short video.

She went on to open up about the pressures of life as a viral creator and her declining reach on the platform. “I think I have to officially let TikTok go. I think that I am fooling myself that this algorithm will ever favour me,” she wrote.

She questioned whether “chasing this dream is healthy for me”, adding: “I’m clearly having some kind of mental break and I’m clearly not in a good space.”

In a livestream, she also made remarks alluding to self-harm, indicating the criticism had taken a serious toll on her mental health.

Lebron rose to fame in 2024 with her “very demure, very mindful” catchphrase, which became one of the biggest internet trends of the year, spawning countless imitations and brand deals which helped fund her transition.

She has been open about her journey as a trans woman and about her recovery from addiction.

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