Dylan Mulvaney says Bud Light never reached out amid backlash: ‘To turn a blind eye … isn’t an option’

Dylan Mulvaney is speaking out about her experience over the last few months since she posted a sponsored video that caused an uproar.

The 26-year-old Broadway star shared a new video on her Instagram on June 29, seemingly calling out Bud Light for turning a “blind eye” when it came to the intense backlash she received for a sponsored post she made back in April.

The transgender activist began by noting how she felt like she needed to speak out once again and revealed she’s been afraid to leave her house.

Mulvaney explained that all she did was make a video for a “company that I love” and how the “ad got blown up.”

“You would have thought I was like on a billboard or on a TV commercial or something major. But no, it was just an Instagram video,” Mulvaney said, adding how the beer company also sent her a personalized can with her face on it.

Mulvaney said that what transpired after she posted the video “was more bullying and transphobia than I could have ever imagined.”

The actor said that she was “scared of more backlash” if she spoke out and “felt personally guilty ... so I patiently waited for things to get better, but surprise. They haven’t really.”

While she did not directly use the company’s name, she said she was waiting for the brand to reach out to her, but they never did.

“For a company to hire a trans person and then not publicly stand by them is worse in my opinion than not hiring a trans person at all,” she stated. “Because it gives customers permission to be as transphobic and hateful as they want. And the hate doesn’t end with me. It has serious and grave consequences for the rest of our community. And, and you know, we’re customers too.”

“But to turn a blind eye and pretend everything is OK, it just isn’t an option right now,” Mulvaney added.

Mulvaney also detailed how for months she has been scared to leave her house because she has been ridiculed in public and followed. She said she’s “felt a loneliness that I wouldn’t wish on anyone,” adding that if this is happening to her who’s had a “privileged perspective,” it is much much worse for other transgender people.

Mulvaney said that people have told her they don't want to get political, but she stated: Supporting transgender people shouldn't be political.

“There should be nothing controversial or divisive about working with us. And I know it’s possible because I’ve worked with some fantastic companies who care,” she said. “But caring about the LGBTQ+ community requires a lot more than just a donation somewhere during Pride Month.”

Bottom line, she said, “If I’ve made you smile, if you care about me, I need you to care about every trans person. And I need you to support us and I need you to stand by us.”

A spokesperson for Anheuser-Busch tells TODAY.com in a statement that they are “committed” to the partnerships they’ve made.

“As we’ve said, we remain committed to the programs and partnerships we have forged over decades with organizations across a number of communities, including those in the LGBTQ+ community,” the statement reads. “The privacy and safety of our employees and our partners is always our top priority. As we move forward, we will focus on what we do best — brewing great beer for everyone and earning our place in moments that matter to our consumers.”

Following Mulvaney's March Madness-themed Bud Light video, high profile conservatives like Kid Rock vowed to never drink the beer while yelling profanities and shooting cases of Bud Light with a rifle. Country singer Travis Tritt also condemned the collaboration and tweeted that he would be removing “Anheuser-Busch products from my tour hospitality rider.”

As the backlash ensued, Modelo replaced Bud Light as America’s best-selling beer as people boycotted the brand. It should be noted that Mexican brewer Grupo Modelo is owned by the same parent company as Bud Light.

Anheuser-Busch did seemingly respond to the backlash on April 14 when CEO Brendan Whitworth released a statement expressing how they had a “responsibility to America.”

Never mentioning Mulvaney in his statement, he wrote in part, “We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.”

“My time serving this country taught me the importance of accountability and the values upon which America was founded: freedom, hard work and respect for one another,” he added.

Earlier this month, Whitworth said Anheuser-Busch InBev will continue to support the LGBTQ community despite backlash but sidestepped a question on CBS about whether Mulvaney’s campaign was a mistake.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com