Bud Light's partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney continues to be a talking point on social media—and a number of celebrities have declared which side they're on amid ongoing backlash.
Earlier this month, Mulvaney, 26, shared a video on Instagram in which she explained that Bud Light had sent her a can with her face on it to commemorate 365 days of her living as a woman. Mulvaney's Days of Girlhood video series, which charts her first year of transitioning, has been a viral success.
"This month, I celebrated my day 365 of womanhood, and Bud Light sent me possibly the best gift ever—a can with my face on it," Mulvaney told her followers, before referencing a promotion with the beer brand that is detailed on her profile.
In another video, which was shot in a bathtub, Mulvaney appeared to be stuck on hold on the phone while near a stack of Bud Light beers. She proceeded to open one while waiting, before dancing in the bath to the hold music.
The partnership has drawn condemnation from some social media users, who issued calls for a boycott. An undated video went viral that showed unpurchased stacks of Bud Light and Budweiser in a convenience store while other brands had sold out.
An Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told Newsweek last week 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."
Amid the ensuing debate, a number of celebrities have publicly shared their opinions on the matter.
Dylan Mulvaney Supporters
When Mulvaney posted her video announcing that she had been sent a can of Bud Light with her face on it, she sparked a tsunami of positive and negative comments.
Paris Hilton commented on the post by writing: "Cheers," adding an emoji of two champagne flutes being clinked together.
Jersey Shore star Sammi Sweetheart posted a pair of clapping hands emojis, alongside the caption: "How awesome, cheers to you! @budlight."
Full House star Jodie Sweetin kept her reaction more low-key by simply liking the post, while Emmy winner Kristin Chenoweth posted a trio of laughing emojis in apparent appreciation of Mulvaney's comedic comments in the clip.
Dylan Mulvaney Detractors
Bud Light's move has riled up a number of conservative celebrities, including musician Kid Rock, who shared footage of himself opening fire on a stack of Bud Light cans.
Travis Tritt reacted by announcing on Twitter that he would no longer sell products from Bud Light owner Anheuser-Busch at his concerts, while fellow country star John Rich revealed that he has pulled cases of the brand from his bar in Nashville.
"The customers decide. Customers are king," Rich said Monday on Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight. "I own a bar in downtown Nashville. Our number one selling beer up until a few days ago was what? Bud Light.
"We got cases and cases and cases of it sitting back there. But in the past several days you're hard-pressed to find anyone ordering one. So as a business owner, I go, hey if you aren't ordering it, we got to put something else in here. At the end of the day, that's capitalism. That's how it works."
British influencer Oli London, who previously identified as transracial, gender neutral and transgender, criticized Mulvaney and last week shared a video of the TikTok star on his Twitter account that caught Caitlyn Jenner's eye.
As a host of Twitter users weighed in with their responses, Jenner, who transitioned to female in 2015 and has publicly exchanged words with Mulvaney in the past, recommended that people take their business to another brand.
"Support @happydad by @nelkboys @KyleForgeard theirs is the best!" wrote Jenner, who last week announced the launch of her political action committee aimed at taking on "radical gender extremists."
Former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly aired her thoughts on Twitter, reacting to a video of Mulvaney and non-binary TikToker Jeffrey Marsh discussing gender identity and the concept of "girlhood."
"Only certain people are allowed in, but who's allowing? That's the real question," Marsh said of society's idea of who is permitted to identify with girlhood. In LGBTQ+ vernacular, "girlhood" is widely defined as the experience of being perceived as a woman and can be because of multiple reasons, whether it's a person's feminine gender presentation or their experience of misogyny.
But Kelly did not agree with the sentiments of the video and tweeted: "God is 'allowing' and men don't make the cut," referring to the creators' gender assigned at birth.
Stock for Bud Light owner Anheuser-Busch InBev took a slight dip on Monday in the wake of the ongoing backlash over the company's partnership with Mulvaney.
The Street, a financial news website, reported that stock for Anheuser-Busch InBev was lower by 3 percent on Monday. However, the outlet also reported that the drop comes following "a 10-day win streak, which vaulted Anheuser-Busch stock to 52-week highs."
The Street further noted that even with the controversy regarding Mulvaney, Anheuser-Busch continues to come out ahead of competitors like Molson Coors and Boston Beer on the stock market. At the time of publication, Anheuser-Busch shares were at $64.99 on the New York Stock Exchange.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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