Updated: July 3rd, 2023.
Dylan Mulvaney, who shot to viral fame for her ‘Days of Girlhood’ series on TikTok, has taken to the platform to address the continuous hate she has received since collaborating with Bud Light back in April.
The creator faced a wave of anti-trans vitriol after she partnered with the company to promote the #EasyCarryContest – a chance to win $15000 cash by showing how many beers one person can carry.
While many internet users were happy to see a company like Bud Light make a move for trans and LGBTQIA+ visibility, right-wing political pundits were quick to criticise the campaign, including some mainstream media outlets and prominent journalists.
These critics went on to undermine and invalidate the experiences of trans women – with many misgendering Dylan and claiming that Bud Light is “mocking women.” Some even boycotted the brand, saying they no longer drink Bud Light beer.
In a video posted three days ago, Dylan addressed the backlash for the second time, reflecting on the transphobic reaction to the collaboration and how it has affected her.
“What transpired from that video was more bullying and transphobia than I could have ever imagined,” she begins. “I should have made this video months ago but I didn’t, I was scared of more backlash… so, I patiently waited for things to get better, but surprise, they haven’t really. And I was waiting for the brand to reach out to me but they never did.”
The influencer criticises the company’s handling of the anti-trans backlash, noting “For a company to hire a trans person and not stand by them is worse, in my opinion, than not hiring a trans person at all.”
“It gives customers permission to be as transphobic and hateful as they want,” she explains. “To turn a blind eye and pretend that everything is okay, just isn’t an option right now… Supporting trans people shouldn’t be political, there should be nothing controversial or divisive about working with us.”
In the video, Dylan also shares how she has faced fervent transphobia in her every-day life since the collaboration, where she has “been ridiculed in public… [and] been followed.”
“I have felt a loneliness that I wouldn’t wish on anyone… I am telling you this because if this is my experience from a very privileged perspective, know that it is much much worse for other trans people,” Dylan says.
She concludes the video by encouraging viewers to donate to the Trans Law Center, while thanking those who have supported her during this time.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time the creator has had to address her partnership with Bud Light.
After first posting the sponsored video, Dylan took a break from social media in response to the overwhelming criticism. In a video posted on April 28th, Dylan addressed her absence online, saying she chose to “take the back seat” as so much of what was being said about her was untrue.
“But then I remembered that nearly 13 million people at some point enjoyed me enough to hit the follow button on these apps,” she continued. “And I was like wait, wait, wait, I want to talk to those people.”
Dylan went on to say that she is “doing okay” but that she is struggling to understand her critics’ “the need to dehumanise and to be cruel” to someone they don’t know.
She finished by saying she plans to start opening up more about things that have nothing to do with her identity and will focus her energy on the followers that support her.
Dylan’s supporters are happy she is speaking out about her experience, with many upset about that the brand never reached out to the influencer amid the anti-trans backlash.
At the time of writing, her latest TikTok on the issue has amassed over 12.3 million views and over 66,000 comments— with the vast majority expressing their love and admiration for Dylan as she comes out the other side of this wave of bigotry.