The transgender influencer whose social media promotion of Bud Light led to attacks from conservatives and a boycott of the brand spoke out directly about the controversy for the first time on Thursday, saying he’s been bullied and brewer Bud He said he didn’t contact her about Wright. of hostility.
She said she has faced stalking and personal attacks since April when influencer Dylan Mulvaney featured Bud Light in an Instagram video. video She posted on social media.
“What emerged from that video was more bullying and transphobia than I could have imagined,” Mulvaney, 26, said. “Being followed, I’ve felt a loneliness that no one wanted.”
She continued that throughout the controversy, Bud Light did not reach out to her. She said she was afraid to leave her home when her company did not support her.
“I was waiting to hear from the brand, but I never heard from them,” she said. “I think it is worse for companies to hire transgender people and not publicly endorse them than not to hire transgender people at all.”
Anheuser-Busch, the maker of Bud Light, did not respond to a request for comment Thursday on whether it had attempted to contact Mulvaney since the boycott.
“As previously stated, we remain committed to the programs and partnerships we have built over the decades with many community organizations, including the LGBTQ+ community,” a company representative said in an email. . “The privacy and safety of our employees and partners will always be our top priority.”
The controversy over Mulvaney and Bud Wright arose as states passed laws restricting medical care for transgender people. Control which bathrooms can be used. and determine whether schools can affirm transgender students’ preferred personal pronouns. Republican state legislators have also continued to propose legislation that would regulate the lives of transgender youth and require schools to place transgender students in parental care.
April 1st, Mr. Mulvaney posted a video With 1.8 million followers on her Instagram account, Bud Light sponsored an approximately $15,000 giveaway during March Madness. She also credited her company with sending her a Tallboy can with her face on it to celebrate the 365-day milestone since sharing her transition journey publicly. Mentioned.
Calls for a boycott continued, fueled in part by those who had previously attacked the transgender community.one of the most prominent voices Musician Kid Rock was also includedWHO posted a video A picture of myself photographing a pile of Bud Light cases.
Bud Light sales plummeted. Since then, two of the company’s marketing heads have gone on vacation. The company also announced in May that its marketing campaign would focus on sports and music. Bud Light was overtaken as the best-selling beer in America this month. The brand is still struggling to win back customers.
Bud Light has been criticized by some members of the LGBTQ community for its lukewarm response to the backlash.
But conservative backlash has spilled over into brand partnerships other companies have struck with transgender people. Like Bud Light, retailer Target changed its marketing because the company objected to including the LGBTQ community.Country singer Garth Brooks criticized He told a music event that the new Nashville bar will serve many beers, including Bud Light.
Mulvaney is popular on TikTok with 10.6 million followers and chronicles her transformation with a viral series called “Days of Girlhood.”
Amidst the backlash, Mulvaney did not respond directly to the Bud Light controversy, referring to the animosity she experienced herself.She called herself ‘a target’ in a podcast interview On sale April 11th “Because I’m still new to this,” she told TikTok fans. April 28th: “What I’m having trouble understanding is the need to be dehumanizing and cruel.”
In Thursday’s video, Mulvaney called on businesses to go beyond donations and promotional campaigns to support the LGBTQ community.
“Supporting transgender people should not be political,” she says. “There should be no controversy or disagreement about working with us.”
