A large majority of Americans support the boycott of Anheuser-Busch over their partnership with transgender activist and influencer Dylan Mulvaney, according to a new poll.
The Rasmussen pollsters also found that Americans believe corporations pay too much attention to transgender issues by nearly a 3-to-1 margin.
Just 18 percent of Americans think corporations are not paying enough attention to transgender issues. "Bud Flight"
Majority of Americans Support @AnheuserBusch Boycott over @dylanmulvaney
By nearly a 3-to-1 margin, Americans say corporations pay TOO MUCH attention to transgender issues.
Even a plurality of 18-39's say "too much."
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— Rasmussen Reports (@Rasmussen_Poll) April 18, 2023
The survey found that 40 percent of American Adults say Anheuser-Busch’s transgender promotion makes them "less likely" to purchase Bud Light, while 19 percent said that the Mulvaney promotion makes them more likely to buy Bud Light and 37 percent said it doesn’t make much difference to their beer plans.
When asked about the boycott, 54 percent said they either "strongly support" or "somewhat support" it, while just 30 percent said they "strongly oppose" or "somewhat oppose" it.
Bud Light's partnership with Mulvaney had the most support among respondents between 18 and 39 — 33 percent of whom said they are "more likely" to drink the company's beer now. This is the largest percentage of support the partnership has among any age group.
That support plummeted among respondents between 40 and 65, only 12 percent of whom are more likely to drink Bud Light after the promo, and down to just six percent among those 65 years and older.
The company has lost over $6 billion in market capitalization since the partnership with Mulvaney was announced.
Mulvaney has become a controversial figure over his “Days of Girlhood” series on TikTok — and meeting with President Joe Biden on “Day 222 of being a girl” to advocate for allowing minors to transition. Mulvaney said at the time, “I’m ready to step up and show that trans people are not going anywhere and that trans kids deserve a fighting chance to be their true selves.”
On Friday, the company broke its silence with a statement from CEO Brendan Whitworth pointing to the beer giant’s support for the military and first responders.
“As the CEO of a company founded in America’s heartland more than 165 years ago, I am responsible for ensuring every consumer feels proud of the beer we brew,” Whitworth said. “We’re honored to be part of the fabric of this country. Anheuser-Busch employs more than 18,000 people and our independent distributors employ an additional 47,000 valued colleagues. We have thousands of partners, millions of fans and a proud history supporting our communities, military, first responders, sports fans and hard-working Americans everywhere.”
“We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people,” Whitworth continued. “We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.”
Mulvaney has been silent on social media since the scandal broke nearly two weeks ago.
