Dylan Mulvaney, the transgender social media influencer whose partnership with Bud Light stoked calls by some conservatives for a boycott of the beer, broke her silence Thursday evening.


What You Need To Know

  • Dylan Mulvaney, the transgender social media influencer whose partnership with Bud Light stoked calls by some conservatives for a boycott of the beer, broke her silence Thursday evening

  • In a video posted to her social media accounts, Mulvaney said she opted to “take the back seat” amid the furor and let her critics “tucker themselves out.”

  • The 26-year-old said she is doing “OK," but added, "What I'm struggling to understand is the need to dehumanize and to be cruel"

  • Anheuser-Busch confirmed this week that Alissa Heinerscheid, its vice president of marketing, and her boss, Daniel Blake, are taking a leave of absence

In a video posted to her social media accounts, Mulvaney said she opted to “take the back seat” amid the furor and let her critics “tucker themselves out.”

“I've been offline for a few weeks, and a lot has been said about me, some of which is so far from my truth that I was, like, hearing my name and I didn't even know who they were talking about sometimes,” she said. “It's a very disassociated feeling.  And it was so loud that I didn't even feel part of the conversation.”

The 26-year-old said she is doing “OK.”

“I've always tried to love everyone, you know, even the people that make it really, really hard,” Mulvaney said. “And I think it's OK to be frustrated with someone or confused. But what I'm struggling to understand is the need to dehumanize and to be cruel. I just I don't think that's right. You know, dehumanization has never fixed anything in history, ever.

“I was nervous that you were going to start believing those things that they were saying about me since it is so loud,” she added. “But I'm just going to go ahead and trust that the people who know me and my heart won't listen to that noise.”

Mulvaney added, “The people pleaser in me has nearly died, because there's clearly no way of winning over everyone.”

The uproar began earlier this month after Mulvaney posted a video on Instagram in which she said Bud Light sent her a can with her face printed on it to commemorate her 365 days of womanhood. Mulvaney promoted a Bud Light contest and tagged the post “#budlightpartner.”

The post was quickly criticized by conservatives, including some celebrities, who suggested they have boycotted Bud Light and the company that produces the beer, Anheuser-Busch.

Singer-rapper Kid Rock posted his own on Instagram in which he fired a semi-automatic rifle at a table of Bud Light. Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro reacted with disgust in an Instagram video of his own. Country singer Travis Tritt announced he was removing Anheuser-Busch products from his tour hospitality riders. And John Rich, of the country duo Big & Rich, asked his Twitter followers which beer his Nashville, Tennessee, bar should replace Bud Light with.

Other lesser-known people posted disapproving messages and videos to social media, including one user who bought a case of Bud Light only to toss it in a trash can.

Shares of Bud Light’s parent company, AB InBev, fell 5% but have since rebounded.

An Anheuser-Busch spokesperson explained in a statement earlier this month that the brewer “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.  This commemorative can was a gift to celebrate a personal milestone and is not for sale to the general public.”

But Anheuser-Busch confirmed this week that Alissa Heinerscheid, its vice president of marketing, and her boss, Daniel Blake, are taking a leave of absence. The company won’t say when they will return or whether they’re being paid.

Mulvaney is a comedian and musical theater actor whose credits include “Book of Mormon” and “Spring Awakening.” She soared to fame last year on TikTok – she now has 10.8 million followers -- by chronicling her gender transition.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.