Dylan Mulvaney Breaks Silence on Bud Light Backlash After TikTok Ad

The Bud Light controversy over the company’s decision to use TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney seems to be dying off a bit. While it still continues, Mulvaney has finally decided to speak out on the backlash.

Several prominent Conservative voices and entertainers, including a very wasteful Kid Rock armed with a rifle, spoke out against Bud Light and their marketing decision. Mulvaney remained silent, though, explaining she was hoping to let “them tucker themselves out.”

“I’ve been offline for a few weeks, and a lot has been said about me, 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 said. “It’s a very dissociative feeling, and it was so loud that I didn’t even feel part of the conversation…But then I remembered that nearly 13 million people at some point enjoyed me enough to hit the follow button on these apps. And I was like, wait, wait, wait. I wanna talk to those people.”

“So 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 now being called all those same things, but this time it’s from other adults. And if they’re gonna accuse me of anything, it should be that I’m a theater person and that I’m camp. But this is just my personality and it always has been,” Mulvaney continued. “What I’m struggling with most is that I grew up in a conservative family, and I’m extremely privileged because they still love me very much, and I grew up in the church, and I still have my faith, which I am really trying to hold onto right now. But I’ve always tried to love everyone. You know, even the people that make it really, really hard. And I think it’s okay to be frustrated with someone or confused, but what I’m struggling to understand is the need to dehumanize and to be cruel. I just, I don’t think that’s right. You know, dehumanization has never fixed anything in history, ever.”

She doesn’t directly address any specific comments made about her by the Bud Light critics, she does make clear there was some concern that people would think all the comments were true. “I’m embarrassed to even tell you this, but I was nervous that you were going to start believing those things that they were saying about me since it is so loud. But I’m just gonna go ahead and trust that the people who know me and my heart won’t listen to that noise,” she continued. “I wanna share parts of myself on here that have nothing to do with my identity, and I’m hoping those parts will still be exciting to you and will be enough. And to those of you who support me and choose to see my humanity, even if you don’t fully understand or relate to me, thank you.”

Mulvaney and Bud Light went into a partnership during March Madness to promote the beer to her 10+ million followers. This included a single commemorative can created for Mulvaney.