Dylan Mulvaney breaks silence and addresses backlash against Bud Light partnership

After receiving backlash for her recent partnership with Bud Light, Dylan Mulvaney has finally addressed the controversy on social media.

The 26-year-old transgender activist had received a personalized can of the beer brand, which sparked a divisive debate. Mulvaney took to Instagram on April 1 to share a promotional video of herself drinking the beverage while dressed up as Audrey Hepburn.

The ad was also meant to promote Bud Light's March Madness competition. Mulvaney, who has a massive following on TikTok, shared pictures of commemorative cans sent to her by the company to celebrate her recent "365 Days of Girlhood" milestone. However, the collaboration received criticism from some social media users and music industry personalities, including Kid Rock and Travis Tritt, who vowed to boycott the Anheuser-Busch product.

Finally, on April 27, Mulvaney spoke about the transphobic uproar and how it has affected her on the video-sharing platform.

"I've been a human for 9,610 days, and I want to leave gender out of this since it's a factor that brought us to this point. I've been away from the internet for a few weeks, and during that time, people have said a lot about me. Some of it is so far from the truth that I don't even recognize myself in what they say," she said.

"It's a disorienting feeling, and at times, I felt like I wasn't even part of the conversation. So, I decided to take a step back and let them talk themselves out. However, I realized that there were nearly 13 million people who had followed me on these platforms and enjoyed my content. So, I wanted to reach out to them and say hi! It's been a while. How are you? You might want to get a drink because I have a lot to share."

"Overall, I'm doing okay. I'm trying this new approach where I don't pressure myself to share anything until I'm ready. I'm taking the time to sit with my emotions and not react immediately. Surprisingly, it's been helpful, and I highly recommend it. It's like therapy is paying off! I do have some thoughts I'd like to share with you."

Mulvaney shared about her upbringing in a conservative family and expressed her gratitude for their love and support, as well as her faith.

"I've always tried to love everyone, even those who make it incredibly difficult. I think it's okay to be frustrated or confused with someone, but what I don't understand is the need to dehumanize and be cruel," she stated. "I don't think that's right. Throughout history, dehumanization has never solved anything."

The popular social media influencer expressed her concern that her TikTok followers may be influenced by the negative comments about her.

"However, I'm choosing to trust that the people who know me and my heart won't listen to the negativity," she added.

---