Dylan Mulvaney Responds to Bud Light Controversy for the First Time

Dylan Mulvaney broke her social media hiatus this week to respond to the ongoing anti-trans backlash against her following a partnership with Bud Light. 

The transgender social media star and Broadway actor took to Instagram on Thursday to post a message about the hate and vitriol she’s received in the last few weeks. Mulvaney’s name made mainstream headlines in March after she announced a giveaway with Bud Light for March Madness. The beer company sent Mulvaney custom cans with her face on them — which were not for sale — in celebration of their partnership. 

But soon after, Mulvaney became the target of transphobic people, who vowed to boycott the beer brand. 

This is the first time Mulvaney has directly addressed the controversy, aside from thanking her fans earlier this month. 

“I’ve been offline for a few weeks and a lot has been said about me,” Mulvaney said in her video. “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 continued: “It was so loud that I didn’t even feel part of the conversation.”

Mulvaney said she finally decided to come back to social media because she wanted to send a message to her nearly 13 million followers. She assured her fans that she is “doing OK,” and decided she wouldn’t say anything before she was ready. 

“I’m sitting with my emotions, you know not reacting, waiting to respond,” Mulvaney said. “I’ve been having crazy deja vu because I’m an adult. I’m 26. And throughout childhood, I was called ‘too feminine,’ and ‘over the top.’ And here I am not being called all those same things, but this time it’s from other adults.” 

Mulvaney said that “this is just my personality,” but that she is “struggling” with the intense backlash.