Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender influencer, has been the target of a recent wave of abuse from the right. Mulvaney has been documenting her transition on social media for over a year, and on April 1, she posted a video to Instagram featuring custom Bud Light cans with her face on them. Bud Light sent her those cans for the sponsored video and to celebrate her recent 365 days of being a girl.
However, since posting the video, conservatives have attacked Mulvaney with false accusations, claiming she is a pedophile and that her video will upset the global balance of power. Some have boycotted Bud Light and switched to other LGBTQ+ friendly brands.
Mulvaney stopped posting to social media for a few weeks as conservatives continued to work out their rage against her. But now she’s back, responding to the outrage in a video for her followers.
In the video, Mulvaney addresses the criticism she has received, calling it “so far from my truth that I was like hearing my name, and I didn’t even know who they were talking about sometimes. It’s a very dissociative feeling.” She also called out some of the more extreme attacks on her character, saying, “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 don’t think that’s right.”
Mulvaney wants to make content on social media that has nothing to do with her identity, stating that her personality has always been “over-the-top” and “camp.” She hopes to gain control over the narrative about her and continue documenting her transition.
This recent backlash against Mulvaney highlights the ongoing discrimination and harassment that the LGBTQ+ community faces. It is important to address these issues and support individuals who are targeted with hate speech and false accusations.