Dylan Mulvaney Says She's Been In Hiding 'Because of Transphobes'

Dylan Mulvaney has said in a TikTok clip that she endured two months of "fear and hiding because of transphobes," following the furor over her collaboration with Bud Light.

The transgender influencer, 26, has been at the center of an ongoing storm. In a video posted to Instagram on April 1, she said that the beer brand had sent her a can with her face on it to commemorate 365 days of her living as a woman.

Mulvaney's partnership with Bud Light drew condemnation from several conservative figures, including Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw. Many issued calls for a boycott of the beer brand. It has also led to the overt scrutiny of an increasing number of companies and over their pro-LGBTQ+ marketing initiatives.

A host of companies have unveiled products supporting Pride Month, which takes place every June. Despite such inclusive marketing and initiatives being commonplace among corporations for years, many have become engulfed in controversy. Some experts have pinned the blame on a small number of influential far-right figures orchestrating a plan to make support for LGBTQ+ communities toxic for major companies.

The furor also reflects anti-transgender sentiment that has been growing in the United States. Bills targeting the rights of transgender people have been embraced by Republican governors and statehouses across the country.

Amid the backlash, Mulvaney slowed down the frequency of her social-media posts. However, in recent days, she has resumed with posting paid partnerships.

On June 1, the California native shed light on her experience over the past two months in a TikTok video shared to celebrate the start of LGBTQ+ Pride Month.

At the start of the clip, which has been viewed more than 5 million times, Mulvaney is shown wearing a customized pink sweater while looking distraught. A caption reads, "2 months of fear and hiding because of transphobes."

Seconds later, the visuals switch to show Mulvaney looking far more glamorous in an embellished blue dress with matching boots. Toting a blue purse and flicking her hair, Mulvaney looks elated as the caption "Pride Month" is shown on the screen.

Adding an additional caption to the brief video, Mulvaney wrote: "JUNE 1ST HAS ME FEELIN GOOD."

Mulvaney has earned more than $1 million through promoting brands on social media, according to the New York Post. These companies cover everything from fashion and skincare to grocery shopping.

However, it is her partnership with Bud Light in April that has captured headlines, with the collaboration leading to boycotts, derision and furor among conservatives.

At the time, a spokesperson for Bud Light's owner, Anheuser-Busch, told Newsweek that the "commemorative" can was typical of its work with "hundreds of influencers" across its brands. It acts "as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics."

The spokesperson added that the commemorative can "was a gift to celebrate a personal milestone and is not for sale to the general public."

Following the criticism and reports of plummeting sales, some Bud Light executives took a leave of absence. These included marketing head Alissa Heinerscheid and Daniel Blake, who oversees marketing for Anheuser-Busch's mainstream brands.

In recent weeks, a number of social-media users have shared photos and videos of Bud Light on store shelves and at venues. This is to illustrate the purported success of the boycott of the beer brand.

Mulvaney broke her silence in a video shared on Instagram on April 28. "What I'm struggling to understand is the need to dehumanize and to be cruel," she told her followers. "I don't think that's right. You know, dehumanization has never fixed anything in history ever.

"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," Mulvaney added. "But I'm just gonna go ahead and trust that the people who know me and my heart won't listen to that noise."