Yes…conservatives are currently protesting Bud Light beers following a recent promotion they did with transgender celebrity, Dylan Mulvaney. This current event, with the sexuality issue, is tied into Dylan Mulvaney, written about in a previous post. Dylan Mulvaney is a transgender celebrity who recently promoted Bud Light beer’s current giveaway on her Instagram. The video has sparked controversy. Watching Mulvaney’s video is crucial in understanding the backstory as to why this has sparked a controversy over some beers.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH!
This is very normal and traditional content to post to promote a product, however, the fact that it was a “manly” beer being promoted rubbed the conservative population the wrong way. Mulvaney was sent packs of Bud Light featuring her face as a way to celebrate a milestone in her “365 Days of Girlhood” series. A message is displayed on the top of her custom can “CHEERS TO 365 DAYS OF GIRLHOOD”, which is a very supportive movement, displaying their support for the trans community.
the controversy
This backlash from conservatives has been seen in all forms, with making videos, singers changing the lyrics of songs, and posting nasty comments to Anheuser-Busch the overarching company for many popular beer brands.
In a recent performance by Riley Green, while opening for Luke Combs, this singer changed his lyrics from “and coolers never ran out of cold Bud Light” to “coolers never ran out of cold Coors Light”. This individual most likely felt as if they were taking a major stance against this issue with this, however, Coors Light has also supported the LGBTQIA+ community in recent years which is the ironic part of this lyric switch.
@concertsandcoldbeer Nashville tn Luke Combs Riley Green said bye to bud light 👀🍺🍺 4/14/23 #budlight #rileygreen #lukecombs
On all social media platforms, individuals can be seen uploading videos of themselves destroying these Bud Light products, however, these individuals are purchasing these goods before destroying them therefore further supporting this company. It is rather backward as many of them fail to acknowledge the backward nature of their decisions while destroying these goods in a performative social media post. Additionally, many individuals are switching to other beers to not support Bud Light, which these brands are also manufactured by Anheuser-Busch, once again, unintentionally supporting this overarching company. A video produced by VICE News perfectly describes this controversy and provides concrete examples of these individuals destroying their Bud Light products as a form of protest against this company.
@vicenews The latest things Republicans are crying “woke” over? Bud Light. Here’s why. #kidrock #budlight #beer #republican
broad picture
There are so many controversies similar to the current situation with Dylan Mulvaney. All of these stem from a lack of acceptance towards the trans community. This is a very real issue and are contributors to the increasing rate of hate crimes toward LGBTQIA+ individuals. These individuals have made such a big deal over the fact their favorite beer companies are being more inclusive, while this has been such a push in recent years. These individuals are stuck on Bud Light currently due to their association with Dylan Mulvaney, however, many beer and alcoholic beverage brands have created pride month promotions to show their support for these individuals. Brands should continue to show their support for these communities as there is increased representation and hate, making it crucial to show this growing community support.
Sources Consulted
https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/bud-light-ad-trans-dylan-mulvaney-rcna79165
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/14/business/bud-light-boycott.html
I really enjoyed reading this blog post! Some of my high school friends have ended up at smaller, conservative-minded schools, where this issue has been highlighted. It’s a shame to see how a simple marketing scheme could draw out such a ruthless hatred and discrimination against certain individuals, and I sincerely hope our society can change for the better in the near future. Regardless of someone’s identity, everyone deserves to be respected and treated as equals in our society.
Leah, this was such an enlightening and informative post. I honestly did not know that this was happening but think it is very important to learn about it. It is crazy (and a little funny) how some of these acts in “protest” actually are not achieving the desired results. As you said, they are still purchasing beer from the same overarching company. Regardless, I think the lack of acceptance of the trans community needs to be addressed, but I am not sure how.
Overall, great post. It is important to stay informed on these topics so thank you.
I watched this controversy unfold in real time online, and the whole time I was reading about it I couldn’t help but wonder why people cared so much? You’re buying the beer for the liquid inside the can, not for the design on the outside. If you still like the taste, why do you really care what the label is or how the company is sponsoring their product? I get that some people put some stake into a companies morals or goals when they actively support them, but I can’t imagine having the energy or time to get riled up over a beer promotion. Regardless, you did a good job summarizing the whole situation in a very concise and easy to digest manner.
It is so odd to me as to why people care so much about what others do with their lives. I’m an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community, though even if I weren’t, I could not care enough about what other people do to go as far as changing literal song lyrics, or shooting beer cans of a brand due to them supporting inclusivity. I’m astonished and disappointed that this hatred still lingers amongst us. Thank you for sharing!