Transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney said in an interview published Tuesday that more brands should partner with trans influencers even after the Bud Light debacle, which led to a boycott and declining sales.
“I am one of — if not the — most privileged trans people in this country right now; I don’t want people to look at me and say, ‘Oh, yep, the community’s alright,’” the activist said during an interview with Them, expressing interest in getting other transgender people into the spotlight.
Rather than acknowledging any negative impact on the Bud Light brand, Mulvaney said companies should all be trying to partner with trans-identified individuals for ad campaigns.
“For a long time, I felt so lucky that these opportunities were coming my way that I thought it was by accident. But now I realize how much power I actually have,” Mulvaney told the outlet. “If a brand wants to work with me so bad, then they should work with other trans people, too. It’s not enough to just hire me, this white, skinny trans girl. I want all the dolls getting all the brand deals.”
The Bud Light controversy began on April 1 when the influencer published a video on Instagram featuring a can of Bud Light with Mulvaney’s face on it. A backlash against the national beer brand was swift and immediate, with consumers leading a boycott that has lasted for months, impacting both Anheuser-Busch’s sales and Bud Light’s reputation.
The influencer met with President Joe Biden at the White House at the end of last year, which was also discussed during the interview.
“I said ‘yes,’ because at that point I didn’t realize the difference between existing as a trans person and being an activist,” Mulvaney said of getting the invitation. “But now I can think of a thousand other trans people who would’ve been even better.”
Bud Light isn’t the only brand dealing with boycotts. Target has also been making headlines for selling “tuck-friendly” swimwear in its stores and partnering with a designer who has used occult imagery, including items that said, “Satan Respects Pronouns.”
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Since the public outcry began, Target has lost more than $12 billion in market value as of last week.
“I’m scared,” the TikTok user told the publication. “I never expected to have people following me, or experience such negative media attention. I walk into a room and I never know if somebody is going to really love me or really hate me.”
Before becoming nationally known, Mulvaney did a TikTok series called “Days of Girlhood” documenting the influencer’s “transition” process. Other brands the influencer partnered with include Nike, Ulta Beauty, Maybelline, Kitchenaid, CeraVe, Kate Spade, InstaCart, and Crest toothpaste, among others.