Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Bud Light, is under fire from transgender activists who appear to believe that AB is in the business of promoting transgenderism, not of making money.
In a letter sent this week to Anheuser-Busch’s head of human resources, the Human Rights Campaign is demanding that AB reaffirm its support for the transgender community.
“In this moment, it is absolutely critical for Anheuser-Busch to stand in solidarity with Dylan and the trans community,” reads the April 26 letter obtained by The Hill.
“However, when faced with anti-LGBTQ+ and transphobic criticism, Anheuser-Busch’s actions demonstrate a profound lack of fortitude in upholding its values of diversity, equity, and inclusion to employees, customers, shareholders, and the LGBTQ+ community.”
The Human Rights Campaign believes that not supporting Mulvaney will lead to “long-term business impacts.”
“This not only lends credence to hate-filled rhetoric, it exposes Anheuser-Busch to long-term business impacts with employees and customers increasingly looking for steadfast commitment to LGBTQ+ corporate citizenships,” the HRC’s Jay Brown wrote.
What planet do these people live on? Bud Light, the best-selling beer in America, saw its sales plummet by a staggering 17% following the launch of the Mulvaney ad campaign.
The transgender social media star, who has shared her transition journey with followers online, addressed the pushback for the first time on Thursday, telling her 1.8 million Instagram followers in a video that she’s “doing OK” despite the hate she has received.
Responding to the criticism of its partnership with Mulvaney, Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth this month said the company has “thousands of partners, millions of fans and a proud history of supporting our communities, military, first responders, sports fans and hard-working Americans everywhere.”
“We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people,” Whitworth said in a written statement shared on Anheuser-Busch’s social media accounts. “We are in the business of bringing people together over beer.”
I have no doubt that some people who criticized Mulvaney were mean, spiteful, hateful, rude, unfeeling, and uncaring. Welcome to the internet, dummy.
If you want to share the most personal and private aspects of your life — including your struggle with gender — what special privileges do you possess that make you immune from the internet gaggle of haters? Face it. Some people get enjoyment out of life by trying to hurt others’ feelings. And they’re all over the internet waiting for a chance to express their hatred.
News flash, Dylan: Not everyone loves you no matter what gender you are or how you got there.
It’s wrong, of course. But it’s reality. If Mulvaney didn’t know that the reaction to his transition would bring out the absolute worst in people, then he justly paid the price for his ignorance — or arrogance.
The question is if it’s up to AB to keep digging the hole they made as a company in thinking the sponsorship with Mulvaney wouldn’t impact their bottom line. That’s plain stupidity as AB found out the hard way. They made their statement by saying vague, nice things about everyone without specifically giving love to Mulvaney. This the Human Rights Campaign can’t stomach. You must not only say nice things about Mulvaney and the trans community, but you must also grovel at the altar of transgender acceptance and “love” Dylan for his courage in making a horse’s ass of himself in front of millions of people.
Corporate America is doomed unless it takes a stand against these barbarians. If appeasing the LGBTQ community for not giving enough love or enough acceptance becomes part of the corporate culture, what’s next? A mandatory transgender person or people on the board?
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