Conservatives Revive LGBTQ+ Campaigns Post Bud Light Boycott Victory

Some conservatives are now sharing old advertisements to complain about the LGBTQ+ community and businesses that support them. One of the recent targets is Ford, a car manufacturer.

Bud Light worked with Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender activist. But this made many people not like the brand's parent company, Anheuser-Busch. Now, important people at Anheuser-Busch are taking time off. Also, sales are going down by a lot.

Online users brought up Ford on Twitter for an ad called the "Very Gay Raptor". This ad first came out in June 2022 in the United Kingdom.

The company released a press statement before the vehicle's display at the Goodwill Festival of Speed. The statement said that they included the vehicle to show their long-standing support for the LGBTQ+ community. They want to use the vehicle to start important conversations and fight discrimination in the car industry. And also, they hope to stop discrimination outside the industry too.

Someone on Twitter said Ford was very American, but they won't buy from them anymore because they are following ESG scores like Communists. They will also avoid other companies aligned with the 'woke' movement.

Someone tweeted that Ford released an ad for gay pride month. Another person tweeted that they're glad they don't drive a Ford.

Another tweet said that Ford destroyed 120 years of American car history in just one minute. The tweet also expressed frustration with companies that try to appear socially aware.

Some companies recently experienced online backlashes. These are: - [Company name] - [Company name] - [Company name]

'Win With Inclusive Marketing At All Levels'

A marketing professor named Joanna Schwartz says that there is a connection between boycotts and new laws. This is happening all across America. She shared her thoughts with Newsweek through email.

The Trans Legislation Tracker keeps track of anti-trans bills in state legislatures. As of Thursday, 543 bills have been introduced in 49 states this year. 370 of them are active, 71 have been passed, and 102 have failed.

The ACLU said 124 bills trying to restrict LGBTQ+ rights were introduced in January 19.

Schwartz said conservative groups are causing divisions and rallying people around certain issues. Some leaders are finding unique ways to grab attention, but there are many companies promoting inclusivity in various ways. They might advertise in unexpected places or support organizations like GLAAD and The Trevor Project.

"Most companies consider their target market. But which ones make you angry?"

According to her, most brands try to attract a larger group of people. This includes national beer brands that aim to cater to LGBTQ+ customers. Even Kid Rock promoted a company that has worked with transgender icon Caitlyn Jenner.

According to Genevieve Weber, an associate professor at Hofstra University, store aisles show more than just gender and race diversity. People can also see diversity in body type and abilities.

Research shows that symbolism and visibility, like Pride flags and gender-neutral bathrooms, reduce anxiety and depression while increasing a sense of belonging. This leads to lower suicide rates. It's clear: inclusive marketing benefits everyone.

Weber stated that there's a "transgender rights movement" in America. This is causing confusion for some who don't know about gender dysphoria or transgender people. They are making comparisons.

People manipulating transgender issues is not a new thing. Nowadays, social media makes it worse. However, meeting them in person can change some opinions.

She said that on social media, we can hide and comment, challenge, create fake profiles and express ourselves. But in reality, when we meet the ones finally included in marketing, it's powerful to hear their voice and understand them. Face-to-face communication is important.

John Sovec, a therapist from California who writes about LGBTQ+ topics, said that these efforts are part of a bigger plan by some parts of society for the future.

There were two important moments in American history. One was when the Supreme Court allowed marriage equality. The other happened during Ronald Reagan's time as President. There was an AIDS epidemic, but the administration didn't do anything about it.

Many Americans support LGBTQ rights. Anti-LGBTQ voices are actually a small group. They are loud and trying to spread hate. This is causing problems for LGBTQ people. Anti-trans bills are a threat. It's becoming more dangerous.

Amani Wells-Onyioha said that boycotts on social media make it easier for politicians to criticize people. She works for a Democratic consulting firm called Sole Strategies. They spoke to Newsweek over the phone.

She thinks free speech has limits. Hate speech shouldn't be widely accepted. People who call others sensitive or snowflakes for speaking up against hate speech are wrong and ignore their duty to speak up.

The Founding Fathers never intended free speech to be used for hateful and dangerous rhetoric. It's not right to use that as an excuse.

The blog was changed on May 19, 2023 at 9:25 a.m. ET. A quote by Genevieve Weber was corrected.