- Dylan Mulvaney has been subjected to a barrage of anti-trans hate after associating himself with certain brands.
- The right destroyed cans of Bud Light in response, for example.
- Mulvaney responded to the backlash by saying she was an “easy target”.
Dylan Mulvaney has responded to anti-trans harassment over his partnership with Bud Light and Nike, calling himself an “easy target”.
Mulvaney, a TikToker who rose to fame on the platform, uploaded two brand-sponsored Instagram posts in the past few weeks, and the fallout was immediate.
With Bud Light, some people have complained that the brand should “know your audience” and avoid Mulvaney, or that “the majority of your drinkers are going to cancel you”.
Prominent conservatives such as Kid Rock have even gotten involved in filming themselves pull crates of beer in protest. Critics of the Nike campaign implied that some women take issue with Mulvaney wearing a sports bra.
The brands were at Mulvaney’s side. In a statement on Instagram, Nike said she was “an essential part of your community’s success.”
“We welcome comments that contribute to a positive and constructive discussion: be kind, be inclusive, encourage each other,” he said. “Hate speech, bullying or other behavior that is not in the spirit of a diverse and inclusive community will be removed.”
Mulvaney appeared on the “Onward with Rosie O’Donnell” podcast April 11where she talked about the backlash she received.
She said she had tried to be “the least controversial person” over the past year, but it hadn’t worked.
“I think it comes down to the fact that these people, they don’t understand me, and everything I do or say is taken out of context and used against me,” she said.
“It’s so sad because everything I try to say is positive. I try to connect with others who maybe don’t understand me. It’s to make people laugh or to a child feels seen.”
She added that she thought she had been criticized so much because she was young and was only a year old in her transition.
“The reason I think I’m an easy target is because I’m still new to this,” Mulvaney said. “I think it’s a lot harder to go after a trans woman who’s been doing this for 20 years. Maybe they think there’s some kind of luck with me that they can – but I mean, what is their goal?”
Mulvaney also said it was time for LGBTQ and allied people to “reinforce” the current political climate of harassment campaigns against trans people and some US states fighting for ban gender-affirming care.
“It’s gotten so bad, to the point, with all these bills, that we just have to stay alive,” Mulvaney said. “Now is the time not only for straight people, but we have to show up for ourselves. Everyone is on deck. This is not the time to sit idly by.”
Even with all the controversy, Mulvaney said his transition was “worth it”.
“Because I wake up every day a little happier than before,” she said.