The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) could dock Anheuser-Busch’s 100 percent rating, awarded for the support it offers LGBTQ+ employees, because of the company’s response to the backlash to TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney’s Bud Light advert.
The beer brand sparked an intense backlash last month after sending trans-TikToker Mulvaney a single can of Bud Light to celebrate her 365 days of public transition. The following weeks saw people smashing bottles of Bud Light in stores, musician Kid Rock shooting cans with an assault weapon, bars refusing to sell the beer, and even Texas Republican Ted Cruz threatening to open an investigation into the brand. After the controversy, Anheuser-Busch’s chief executive caved to the pressure by issuing a lukewarm statement, saying the company never meant to be part of any discussion that divides people.
Now, HRC has warned that the brewer may face losing its perfect Corporate Equality Index score. According to USA Today, the HRC reportedly wrote to Anheuser-Busch, suspending its equality score and warning that it has 90 days to respond. Eric Bloem, HRC’s senior director of programs and corporate advocacy said that the company is yet to respond to the letter. HRC holds all the might to make it happen. It suspended Netflix’s Corporate Equality Index score for the way the streaming service provider handled comedian Dave Chappelle’s transphobic comments in 2021.
