Video of Bud Light Poured Down the Drain Viewed 1M Times: ‘Such a Shame’

Video footage of a can of Bud Light being poured out down a kitchen sink in protest at the brand’s partnership with transgender social media personality Dylan Mulvaney has been viewed on Twitter more than 1 million times.

On Sunday, Mulvaney shared a video on Instagram, in which she explained that Bud Light had sent her a personalized can with her face on it to commemorate 365 days of her living as a woman. Mulvaney’s Day 365 Of Girlhood video series, which charts her first year of transitioning, has been a viral success.

“This month, I celebrated by day 365 of womanhood, and Bud Light sent me possibly the best gift ever—a can with my face on it,” Mulvaney told her followers, before referencing a promotion with the beer brand detailed on her profile.

In another video, which was shot in a bathtub, Mulvaney appeared to be stuck on hold on the phone while near a stack of Bud Light beers. She proceeded to open one while waiting, before dancing in the bath to the hold music.

Main image, Dylan Mulvaney is pictured in New York City on February 11, 2023. Inset, Bud Light bottles. Video footage of Bud Light being poured down a kitchen sink in protest at the brand’s partnership with Mulvaney has gone viral on Twitter. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for alice + olivia;/Rob Carr/Getty Images

The partnership has drawn condemnation from some social media users, who issued calls for a boycott. Amid the backlash, musician Kid Rock shared footage of himself responding to the news by opening fire on a stack of Bud Light cans.

Brian Black, who describes himself as a U.S. Air Force veteran, posted a video of a can of Bud Light being poured down a kitchen sink.

“Such a shame @budlight, not getting my money anymore,” Black captioned the 9-second-long footage, which was shared on Twitter on Sunday. He added the hashtags “#BoycottBudLight” and “#GoWokeGoBrokeBudLight.”

As of press time, the video has been viewed more than 1.1 million times.

Bud Light, which is owned by Anheuser-Busch, is not the first brand to face boycott over partnerships with transgender activists. Chocolate makers Hershey’s faced a similar response to an advertising campaign in February after including a transgender rights activist’s face on special chocolate bar wrappers in Canada for International Women’s Day.

A spokesperson for Anheuser-Busch told Newsweek on Monday that the company “works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics. From time to time we produce unique commemorative cans for fans and for brand influencers, like Dylan Mulvaney.”

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

The controversy over transgender brand ambassadors is symbolic of a wider debate about the inclusion of transgender women in female issues and spaces. Some say transgender women should be treated the same as other women, while others say they are different and that hard-won women’s rights must be protected.

The issue is proving deeply polarizing. A survey by the Pew Research Center in 2022 found that 38 percent of Americans believe society had gone too far in accepting transgender people, while 36 percent said it had not gone far enough.

Social media influencer Mulvaney started documenting her transition on TikTok, where she has over 10 million followers, and has partnered with several companies including fashion brand Kate Spade.

She garnered much attention on social media after speaking with President Joe Biden at the White House in October about trans-related healthcare.

While Mulvaney has attracted a sizable fan base online, she has also faced criticism from a number of conservative commentators, including transgender TV personality Caitlyn Jenner.

Jenner this week announced an initiative whose aims include keeping trans women from competing against other women in sports.