Staff Reports
Transgender Activist Jokes About Boycott Affecting Bud Light, Faces Backlash
Everyone loves a good joke, right? Well, not everyone. Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender activist and social media influencer, found that out the hard way at the Streamy Awards on Sunday night. Mulvaney, who identifies as a transgender woman, made a quip about the boycott affecting Bud Light during their acceptance speech for the breakout creator of 2023 award.
Now, let’s get one thing straight, Bud Light has been facing major backlash lately, and it’s no joke. The beer brand, along with its parent company Anheuser-Busch, has been caught in the crosshairs of angry consumers ever since they partnered with Mulvaney earlier this year. And let me tell you, it hasn’t been pretty. The heir of Anheuser-Busch even claimed that his ancestors “would have rolled over in their graves” because of this disastrous decision. Ouch!
And the consequences have been pouring in for Bud Light. Just last month, the company reported a whopping loss of nearly $400 million in its second quarter. Talk about bad business decisions. But it doesn’t end there. Anheuser-Busch announced just days ago that it will be selling off eight of its labels to a cannabis company based in New York City. So not only is Bud Light drowning in controversy, now they’re literally selling off their own family jewels. Sad!
But let’s get back to Mulvaney’s ill-timed joke. While accepting their award, the influencer talked about grabbing a beer to celebrate. A clever nod to their partnership with Bud Light, right? Well, the audience didn’t find it so clever. In fact, Mulvaney received backlash for joking about a sensitive topic like the boycott affecting Bud Light. It seems they forgot that jokes are only funny when they’re not hurting someone’s bottom line.
Look, there’s no doubt that Mulvaney has faced their fair share of hate and transphobia, and that’s truly terrible. But making light of a serious situation that has negatively impacted a major brand is not the way to win any popularity contests. Maybe it’s time for Mulvaney to put down the beer and pick up a lesson in responsible humor. Cheers to that!
