Bud Light Faces Boycott Over Dylan Mulvaney Partnership: 'Never Drink It'

Bud Light is facing a boycott after partnering with transgender influencer and activist Dylan Mulvaney.

On Sunday, Mulvaney posted a video to her 1.7 million Instagram followers in which she explained that Bud Light had sent her a personalized can with her face on it to commemorate 365 days of being a girl. Mulvaney's Day 365 Of Girlhood video series has been a viral success and has charted her first year of transitioning.

However, the partnership has drawn condemnation from some social media users, prompting calls for a boycott. Bud Light, which is owned by Anheuser-Busch, is not the first brand to face calls for people to stop using over its partnership with transgender activists. Chocolate makers Hershey's also faced a similar response to an advertising campaign in February after including a transgender rights activist's face on special chocolate bar wrappers in Canada for International Women's Day.

The row over transgender brand ambassadors is symbolic of a wider debate about the inclusion of transgender women in female issues and spaces. Some say transgender women should be treated the same as other women, while others claim they are different and wish to protect hard-won women's rights.

"This month, I celebrated by day 365 of womanhood, and Bud Light sent me possibly the best gift ever—a can with my face on it," Mulvaney told her social media followers, before referencing a promotion with the beer brand detailed on her profile.

In another video, which was shot in a bathtub, Mulvaney appears to be stuck on hold on the phone while near a stack of Bud Light beers. She proceeds to open one while waiting, before dancing in the bath to the hold music.

Transgender rights is an issue that is proving deeply polarizing. A survey by the Pew Research Center last year found that 38 percent of Americans believe society had gone too far in accepting transgender people, while 36 percent said it had not gone far enough.

"Boycott Bud Light and NEVER DRINK IT AGAIN EVER," tweeted Mike Crispi, a podcast host and former Republican New Jersey primary candidate for Congress.

Boycott Bud Light and NEVER DRINK IT AGAIN EVER

— Mike Crispi (@MikeCrispiNJ) April 3, 2023

"The good news is that Bud Light tastes like rain water that someone siphoned out of a tin bucket so it should be very easy to boycott," Matt Walsh, a conservative commentator, tweeted on Sunday.

The good news is that Bud Light tastes like rain water that someone siphoned out of a tin bucket so it should be very easy to boycott

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) April 2, 2023

"I have never wanted a drink less than this," Robby Starbuck, a GOP congressional primary candidate in Tennessee, said. He then added: "Message to conservative families from Bud Light seems to be: We will encourage and even celebrate the erasure of men and women along with all the values you care about. They've gone totally woke. Will you ever spend your money with them now?"

I have never wanted a drink less than this. For all those asking "Bud Light seriously didn’t do a deal with this guy that pretends to be a girl, did they?" Uh, yeah… They did. I apologize in advance for the nausea. pic.twitter.com/Z9YzLZozna

— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) April 3, 2023

Meanwhile, Brian Black, who describes himself as a U.S. Air Force veteran, posted a video of himself on Sunday pouring a can of Bud Light down the kitchen sink with the hashtag #BoycottBudLight.

Newsweek reached out to Mulvaney's representatives via email for comment on Monday.

Meanwhile, other social media users questioned the corporate thinking that had led to the partnership. Ada Lluch, a self-described "anti-woke" beauty consultant, said on Twitter that Bud Light "caters to men" and the partnership would be "a HUGE turnoff."

Jaimee Michell, founder of the anti-LGBT organization Gays Against Groomers, tweeted that Bud Light "either doesn't know their customers or they do and just don't give a s***. I'm guessing the latter. What a disgrace."

A spokesperson for Anheuser-Busch told Newsweek on Monday that the company "works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics. From time to time we produce unique commemorative cans for fans and for brand influencers, like Dylan Mulvaney."

The spokesperson added that the commemorative can "was a gift to celebrate a personal milestone and is not for sale to the general public."

Mulvaney, who began tracking her transition on TikTok and has since earned over 10 million followers, has partnered with several companies including fashion brand Kate Spade.

In October, she interviewed President Joe Biden on transgender rights at the White House, and on March 13 was sent a letter from Vice President Kamala Harris celebrating a year of being a trans woman, telling Mulvaney: "You continue to break barriers and inspire young people across our nation and around the world."

In response to the calls for a boycott of the brand, some Twitter users noted that Bud Light had been a partner of LGBT Pride "for over 20 years," while others pointed out that other major beer brands had also pledged their support to the LGBTQ+ community.

"Good luck finding another beer," wrote Ed Krassenstein, a social media personality. "The problem for them is that virtually every major beer company... have multiple programs that also support the LGBTQ+ communities. LGBTQ+ support isn't the problem. Bigotry is the problem!"

Update 04/03/23, 12:42 p.m. ET: This article was updated to include comment from an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson.