Megyn Kelly, the host of SiriusXM’s The Megyn Kelly Show, has come under fire for her commentary on Bud Light’s sponsorship of transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Kelly accused Bud Light and its parent company Anheuser-Busch of making a mockery of womanhood and girlhood by promoting Mulvaney, whom she described as a trans woman celebrated by far-lefties across the country.
Critics accused Kelly of intentionally misgendering Mulvaney and being transphobic. The Wrap ran an article with the headline “Megyn Kelly Goes on Transphobic Tirade Over Dylan Mulvaney,” to which Kelly responded on Twitter, defending her statements and claiming she was speaking the truth.
Kelly’s tweet went viral, garnering over 5.5 million views and almost 50,000 likes. In her tweet, Kelly stated that she and millions of others who believe in biology, reality, and fairness would not be dissuaded by attempts to marginalize them with words like “transphobic.”
Caitlyn Jenner, a popular transgender celebrity and one of the first known for going through gender transformation openly, supported Kelly, stating on Twitter that she has known Kelly for quite some time and the word transphobic has never come to mind when thinking of her.
Last week, Kelly also criticized Nike’s decision to sponsor Mulvaney as a pitchperson for its collection of sports bras. Anheuser-Busch InBev CEO Brendan Whitworth apologized for the controversy in a press release titled “Our Responsibility to America,” but critics said it was flat, and the beer company’s market value has plummeted by about $5 billion since the campaign launched on April 1.
During her podcast, Kelly and Michael Knowles of The Daily Wire called on Anheuser-Busch to apologize for the partnership with Mulvaney, arguing that Whitworth’s statement was insufficient as it did not directly apologize for the campaign. Knowles argued that by sponsoring Mulvaney, Budweiser had insulted women, but by issuing the statement, they insulted Americans.
The single-post campaign on April 1 saw Mulvaney showcase a beer can with her face on it, sent by Bud Light to celebrate her one-year anniversary of transitioning. Mulvaney has been documenting each day of the first year since her gender transition on TikTok, amassing more than 10 million followers.
With Bud Light a popular beverage among conservatives in America, Whitworth appeared to backtrack on the perceived progressive partnership. He said in the statement posted to Twitter that they never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people, but they are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.
In conclusion, Kelly’s comments on Bud Light’s sponsorship of transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney have sparked controversy and accusations of transphobia. While some, like Caitlyn Jenner, have supported Kelly’s statements, others have criticized her for misgendering Mulvaney and promoting harmful rhetoric. Anheuser-Busch’s response has also been criticized for being insufficient, and the backlash has resulted in a significant drop in the company’s market value.
