Dylan Mulvaney Responds To Hateful Bud Light Backlash

Dylan Mulvaney has returned to social media after a prolonged absence to respond to the hateful backlash sparked by her partnership with Bud Light.

What Bud Light Backlash?

On April 1, transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney posted a video on her social media accounts showing off a custom Bud Light can featuring her face, as part of a March Madness promotion.

Mulvaney’s brand partnership wasn’t particularly significant; it was a short, simple promotion meant for her followers on Instagram and TikTok, and did not appear on television.

The backlash that followed was extraordinary, as right-wing media outlets and personalities launched an aggressive attack against Mulvaney and Bud Light; musician Kid Rock posted a video of himself firing at cases of the beer with a submachine gun (he wasn’t the only one to do so).

Conservative culture warriors solemnly urged their followers to boycott, to fight back, as though the promotion was an existential crisis, prompting mass mockery on social media.

Viral videos showed customers destroying cans, pouring beer down the drain, having violent meltdowns in supermarkets, and Budweiser factories were even hit with bomb threats.

The backlash prompted the beer’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch, to issue a statement, with CEO Brendan Whitworth saying they “never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people.”

Mulvaney’s Response

Mulvany’s response video did not mention Bud Light by name, but it was obvious what she was referring to, as she discussed the emotional impact of the media frenzy, and said that she needed to step away from social media to “let them tucker themselves out.”

Mulvany said that the tsunami of hate ignited by her gender presentation reminded her of childhood, where she was bullied for being “too feminine and over the top.” Mulvany said she grew up in a conservative family and is thankful that they support her, and mentioned that she is still holding on to her faith during this difficult time.

“But what I’m struggling to understand is the need to dehumanize and to be cruel,” she said. “I don’t think that’s right. Dehumanization has never fixed anything in history, ever. And, you know, I’m embarrassed to even tell you this, but I was nervous that you were going to start believing those things that they were saying about me, since it is so loud. But I’m just gonna go ahead and trust that the people who know me and my heart won’t listen to that noise.”

Despite the ordeal, Mulvany managed to have a sense of humor about the situation, describing herself as a “theatre kid” and cheerfully noting that the “people pleaser” in her has finally died, as she understands that some people will never accept her.

Mulvaney’s cheery optimism throughout the video is notable, considering the extent of the backlash; she went on to say that she was going to go “back to making people laugh and to never stop learning. And going forward, I wanna share parts of myself on here that have nothing to do with my identity, and I’m hoping those parts will still be exciting to you and will be enough.”

Mulvaney concluded by thanking her supporters: “And to those of you who support me and choose to see my humanity—even if you don’t fully understand or relate to me — thank you.”

Mulvaney’s partnership isn’t the first time the conservative “cancel culture” outrage machine has been directed at inclusive advertising campaigns; Gillette, M&Ms, and Nike have all come under fire from right-wingers, but the Bud Light backlash stands out as one of the most aggressive.

A minority fringe of anti-trans obsessives seem to have fueled the tantrum, as polls show that the majority of Americans do not find such partnerships offensive.

“Companies will not end the standard business practice of including diverse people in ads and marketing because a small number of loud, fringe anti-LGBTQ activists make noise on social media,” Sarah Kate Ellis, the president and chief executive of the LGBTQ advocacy organization GLAAD, said in a statement.

She noted that a 2020 survey the organization conducted in conjunction with Procter & Gamble found three-quarters of non-LGBTQ Americans were comfortable seeing LGBTQ people in ads.

Doubtless, for most people, ad campaigns are not an important part of their lives; other than extremely online culture warriors, whose income often relies on stoking grievances, the majority of consumers have more pressing concerns than the celebrities associated with their snacks and beverages.

Popular media personalities expressed bewilderment at the Bud Light backlash; radio host Howard Stern asked offended boycotters,“Why do you care so much?”

Even Joe Rogan, who is often unsympathetic to issues faced by the trans community, seemed baffled by the backlash while discussing Bud Light on his podcast.

“Here’s my take,” Rogan began. “What they’re doing is just spreading the brand to an extra group of people. Why, if something is good, do you give a fuck who’s got it? … I think it’s goofy. Because I think that person [Mulvaney] is goofy. But if you want to hire a goofy person, like, who gives a shit?”

Rogan’s guest, comedian Sam Tallent, pointed out that the backlash had only shone a spotlight on Bud Light’s brand. “Also look at us,” he stated. “We’re on the biggest platform in the world discussing Bud Light for 10 minutes.”