“Transgender” social media influencer and activist Dylan Mulvaney was recognized as one of Forbes’ “30 Under 30” for being one of the most influential social media stars this year.
“I think I’m becoming a bit of a businesswoman,” Mulvaney told Forbes. “As much as I love the creative side, I love getting smarter. I want to know everything and I want to know how it all works…I love the idea of producing, and I think, ‘why not learn it all?’”
Mulvaney added that he “never wanted or intended to be a spokesperson for the [transgender] community.”
“I want to stay really active in my advocacy work, but I want to decide where, when and how I’m going to show up as an activist,” he said.
Forbes honors Dylan Mulvaney for “turning followers into fortunes.” pic.twitter.com/ZqbKGMk9AD
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 28, 2023
Mulvaney became known on the social media platform TikTok for posting videos documenting his “days of girlhood.” As Daily Mail pointed out, Mulvaney “is often seen doing and acting in excessively 'feminine' ways which are often perceived as representing harmful, sexist stereotypes.”
I am a real woman who spends a lot of time in the outdoors and I have never behaved like this. Also “hiking heels” are not a thing. https://t.co/06Opz7a41N
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) September 22, 2022
Mulvaney was at the center of controversy multiple times in recent years. In October 2022, makeup giant Ulta faced intense backlash for inviting Mulvaney onto the company’s podcast to discuss “all things girlhood,” which Townhall covered. On the podcast, Mulvaney said: “I want to be a mom one day.”
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Trans 👏 Girls 👏 Can 👏 Do 👏It 👏 All! Tune into the latest episode of The Beauty Of... where host @DavidLopezzz sits down with guest Dylan Mulvaney to chat all things girlhood 💝 Watch now: https://t.co/tCRfEryYkZ pic.twitter.com/uaXJqEBQI9
— Ulta Beauty (@ultabeauty) October 13, 2022
This year, Anheuser-Busch partnered with Mulvaney to promote Bud Light. Predictably, a boycott ensued and some beer distributors acknowledged that they believe customers will never go back to the brand.
In addition, Billy Busch, the heir of Anheuser-Busch, said in an interview that his ancestors would be “rolling over in their graves” over the company’s partnership with Mulvaney.
“I think my family, my ancestors, would be rolling over in their graves. They were very patriotic. They loved this country and what it stood for. They believed that transgender, gays, that sort of thing, was all a very personal issue. They loved this country because it is a free country and people are allowed to do what they want. But it was never meant to be on a beer can and never meant to be pushed into people’s faces,” Busch said in the interview. “So, they would have never marketed their brands that way.”
Last month, Mulvaney was awarded “Woman of the Year” at the Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards.
“Some see me as the woman of the year, some see me as a woman of a year and some change, because I only publicly came out [as transgender] online 560 days ago. And, some people don’t see me as a woman at all…which is why receiving this honor from a queer publication like Attitude means so much more to me,” Mulvaney said in his acceptance speech.
“No matter how hard I try, or what I wear, or what I say or what surgeries I get I will never reach an acceptable version of womanhood by those hateful peoples standards. But, as long as I have the queer community that sees me for my truth, I’m going to be okay,” he added, explaining that he was happy he received the award in the United Kingdom because they don’t treat him like the “trans beer girl.”
Dylan Mulvaney honored with ‘WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD.’
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) October 12, 2023
“I only publicly came out online 560 days ago.”
“No matter how hard I try, or what I wear, or what I say or what surgeries I get I will never reach an acceptable version of womanhood by those HATEFUL peoples standards.” pic.twitter.com/WwjdeYvxYq
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