The troubles for Bud Light and its parent company, Anheuser-Busch, just keep piling on. As Townhall has covered extensively, the company has taken a dive after their partnership with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney, who is a biological male. While the company faced backlash and a boycott from conservatives, it's now the very kind of customer base they sought to cater to is turning its back on the company. As FOX Business reported, 2Bears Tavern Group, which owns four gay bars in Chicago, will not be serving Anheuser-Busch products at their establishments.
In recently released leaked audio, Anheuser-Busch InBev CEO Michel Doukeris can be heard trying to downplay the partnership with Mulvaney. Last month, Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth had similarly tried to address the issue in such an incompetent manner.
"We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer," his April statement read at a particularly laughable point.
2Bears Tavern Group is now responding. As highlighted by FOX Business:
2Bears Tavern Group called Whitworth's remarks "reprehensible and divisive," along with Anheuser-Busch's move to put two executives involved in the campaign on leave.
"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," the statement read.
"CEO Brendan Whitworth's excuse that Anheuser-Busch ‘never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people’ was tantamount to saying that the rights and safety of transgender people are topics worthy of debate," the statement added.
WLS, a local ABC News outlet in Chicago, also covered how Mark Robinson, the co-owner of four bars, opened a Bud Light to pour down the drain. Robinson is quoted using particularly strong rhetoric, highlighting an even stronger backlash from the LGBT community, as another gay bar is taking against Anheuser-Busch:
"Unlike what we would expect from Anheuser-Busch, that had a history of supporting LGBTQ events and programing, sponsoring things like pride in Chicago, they chose to side with hate," Robertson said.
Robertson said Anheuser-Busch should be ashamed of what he says is its lack of conviction and support of his community.
"They have continued to redouble their negative response, and keep saying 'Oops, we made a mistake. We made a mistake,' which is essentially saying supporting the LGBTQ community, specifically the 'T,' in this case, was a mistake. And, that's disgusting," Robertson said.
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"We would not let a customer stand here and say anti-trans things. We are certainly not going to let a beer go across our bar that is letting people say anti-trans things," Robertson said.
Now, 2Bears group has removed all traces of Anheuser-Busch products. There are no taps, no beers, and even the Busch name has been covered with electrical tape on the bar. And, trailblazing Northalsted LGBTQ+ bar Sidetrack has also stated online that it is dropping all Anheuser-Busch Products.
"We are looking for real, honest support. Not a rainbow flag on a t-shirt. Not a rainbow cup. Not a rainbow cake. I'm looking for you to stand up and say, 'We support you. We believe in your rights.'"
The situation continues to get even worse as the company looks increasingly incompetent. As the New York Post reported last week, Anheuser-Busch blamed the Mulvaney promotional beer cans on a "third party ad agency," The coverage, which included details from distributors and ad agencies, notes that "the mystery remains about which marketing firm connected Mulvaney with Bud Light."