The beer industry has seen its fair share of controversy, but Anheuser-Busch’s recent partnership with trans TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney has caused quite the stir. In response to the partnership, some conservatives and anti-trans trolls have been destroying cans of Bud Light, with singer Kid Rock even firing an AR-15-style rifle at cases of the beer.
During a recent episode of Last Week Tonight, host John Oliver mocked the backlash and the company’s equivocation. Oliver highlighted that the controversy coincides with the passing of anti-trans laws in state houses across the country to ban gender-affirming care for both young people and adults.
Anheuser-Busch’s CEO, Brendan Whitworth, initially defended the partnership with Mulvaney, stating that it was a way to connect authentically with audiences across various demographics and passion points. However, he later released a statement that the company “never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people… We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.”
Oliver criticized Anheuser-Busch’s response, stating that the company was “both-sides-ing something when the two sides are, ‘I am trans,’ and ‘That makes me so mad I’m going to shoot $65 worth of non-refundable beer.’” He also criticized a new Budweiser ad that seemed to pander to transphobic beer drinkers.
Progressives on social media quickly pointed out Anheuser-Busch’s history of funding anti-LGBTQ+ organizations while marketing to the LGBTQ+ community. In 2021, New York’s iconic Stonewall Inn banned the company’s beers after it was revealed that Anheuser-Busch donated over $35,000 to anti-LGBTQ+ state-level politicians.
As a result of the backlash, two Anheuser-Busch executives have taken a leave of absence. Anheuser-Busch’s response to the controversy has been criticized for being both weak and offensive. When bigots are loudly announcing they don’t like your beer because they are bigots, that is an opportunity for you to take a stand and say, “Then our beer is not for you.”
