It's probably safe to bet that many of these women would vote against their own rights, and the rights of millions of others, but that’s a topic for another day. Call it hating, or “not that deep,” but has anyone seen influencers Kay and Tay’s videos? They’re weird.
Like any big city, Dallas can be insufferable, with an uncomfortably large number of people who live up to every negative Big D stereotype. Fortunately, we get to claim Kay Poyer (not to be confused with Kay of Kay and Tay mentioned above: Kay Poyer is the cool Kay.) You could call her an influencer because she is internet famous, but she’s really an entertainer: sharp, hilarious, interesting and unapologetically opinionated.
Poyer moved to Texas at the age of 7 and has been in Dallas ever since. Like a true Dallasite, she dances at The Church, parties in Deep Ellum and loves fashion.
“I really like the city; I think that you can meet anyone and experience anything down here…but I don’t really want to stick around for much longer because it’s clear that the state doesn’t want people like me living here,” she says.
Poyer is transgender, and we all know where regressive, reactionary lawmakers stand on that. So, while we may have to wave goodbye to yet another cool Dallasite, we can still appreciate her until she moves someplace where the grass is bluer.
@ladymisskay_ For my girls
♬ original sound - Kay Poyer
Poyer’s journey to the spotlight began in 2019. She was doing what she could to get by, stuck in a crappy job. Like many, she downloaded TikTok during the pandemic out of sheer boredom, then started posting videos as @ladymisskay, mostly talking about whatever was on her mind. She kept at it for fun, not thinking anything would come out of it.
In October 2023, her account blew up with a video captioned "T girl wisdom" (which can't be captured in mere text and must be experienced at full volume on your iPhone 15). Now with over half a million followers and counting, her content hasn’t changed much since the beginning, which is likely a big factor in her popularity. Her followers want nothing more than authenticity.
"I’ve started editing my videos recently, but other than that, yeah, not much has changed," Poyer says with a laugh.
Poyer has a unique internet persona. To call her a hater is reductive, although she would certainly admit to being one. She’s straightforward and brutally honest, talks a lot of shit and doesn't hesitate to push back when provoked.@ladymisskay_ T girl wisdom
♬ original sound - Kay Poyer
“I will absolutely dog people out in the comments. I truly do not care,” she says.
But she undoubtedly contains multitudes. Poyer has a way of taking seemingly trivial topics and turning them into 2- to 7-minute stream-of-consciousness miniature performances that are as absurd as they are relatable. The hallmark of her content is loose, comprising videos made with two or three takes with no cuts or stops. Her stories are filled with vivid imagery and unexpected details, uncovering connections you'd never think of. Her humor isn't delivered through typical punchlines but by the way she unfolds her narrative. Sometimes she even throws on a Russian accent, prompting weeks of comments saying, “I thought you were Russian??”
You may never quite know where Poyer is going, but you’ll be hooked, and laughing the whole time. Poyer voices her opinion on topics such as Gaza, trans rights, women’s rights and whatever else she feels is important, although she is careful not to consider herself an activist.
“I often use my platform to draw attention to important issues that I think need to be addressed but I am very cautious about using the word activist because the internet has flattened what that means," she says. "Just because you speak about issues doesn’t mean you are an activist. There is a lot more that goes into it than that.”
She has yet to be excommunicated, so that must mean she’s doing something right. Poyer isn’t worried about that; she has a fan base that isn't likely to turn on her anytime soon.
“You know? I don’t know much about my audience, " she says, "but they generally seem to be women with bangs and an attitude.”
Despite all of the good things that TikTok has brought her, Poyer has dreams beyond the little screen. She recently started a podcast called MEAT BUS with her boyfriend Alex.@ladymisskay_ BRAND NEW BYETCH
♬ original sound - Kay Poyer
“People had been asking for a podcast for a while and it really just allows me to get into any topic I want to," Poyer says. "We talk about whatever we have going on, and it’s generally a place where people can get the more real side of me.”
She also has a new Substack, The Quiet Part, where she hopes to create a space to be a bit more earnest — one that's not driven by the tides of algorithms. Ultimately, Poyer wants to get behind the screen and try her hand at comedy writing. She hopes to start to shape herself into a literary figure.
Whatever happens, Poyer will make her mark.
“I am planning quite a few things and doing a lot of work right now, and once I get where I want to be, TikTok will never see me again," she says with a laugh. “I want to disappear and come back with something great, in a very theatrical way.”
