At least five gay bars in Chicago announced a boycott of Anheuser-Busch products after the brand backpedaled on its support of transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Total Anheuser-Busch beer volume fell 12.5% in April, according to Beer Business Daily, as the unrelenting backlash the brand has received following its partnership with Mulvaney continues.
DYLAN MULVANEY WORN DOWN BY THE 'MENTAL EFFECTS' OF BEING MISGENDERED AMID BUD LIGHT DEBACLE
Bud Light was down 21.4% for the month, according to data collected until April 29, and Budweiser was down 11.5%.
As the numbers fell, Anheuser-Busch executives have reportedly been scrambling to find solutions.
Anheuser-Busch spoke directly to customers and distributors, stating that all the chaos stemming from its partnership with Mulvaney is the product of "one single can."
"This was one single can given to one social media influencer," a letter to wholesalers read.
The apparent backpedaling of Anheuser-Busch's support for Mulvaney has fueled many in the LGBT community into believing that the brand was abandoning the influencer and the LGBT community as a whole, according to a report.
This has led multiple LGBT-themed establishments to boycott Anheuser-Busch products.
"We have simply removed their products," Mark Robertson, co-owner of Chicago-based 2Bears Tavern Group, said.
"Our position is that we expect the products we sell to align their values with our values or not trample on the right of our customers. That's where we believe Anheuser-Busch crossed the line."
When Anheuser-Busch InBev attempted "to distance themselves from this whole situation" during a Thursday quarterly earnings call, that was the last straw, according to Robertson, who owns at least four LGBT-themed bars in Chicago.
"We will need to continue to clarify the fact that this was one can, one influencer, one post, and not a campaign, and repeat this message for some time," Anheuser-Busch InBev CEO Michel Doukeris reportedly said.
Anheuser-Busch picked a side, Robertson claimed.
"They have chosen to side with a group of people who are being very hateful, who do not value, you know, the human rights or the lives of the LGBTQ community," he added.
Following the call, Robertson published an announcement on social media announcing the boycott.
"2Bears Tavern Group is discontinuing all Anheuser-Busch InBev products, including Busch Light, Bud Light, and Goose Island 312," the statement read.
"Anheuser-Busch's decision to drop its support of Mulvaney in response to ignorant and hateful objections by some of its customers shows how little Anheuser-Busch cares about the LGBTQIA+ community, and in particular transgender people, who have been under unrelenting attack in this country."
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Sidetrack, another popular LGBT venue in Chicago, announced it would take similar action.
"In response to actions and statements taken by Anheuser-Busch which strongly bring into question their support of the LGBTQ+ community, Sidetrack will cease selling Bud, Bud Light and 312," Sidetrack posted to Instagram.