The owner of a Florida restaurant chain announced this week that they were nixing Bud Light from the menu, claiming that the brand’s controversial partnership with Dylan Mulvaney was at odds with his Biblical faith.”
In a Facebook post shared on Monday, Joe Penovich, the owner of Grills Restaurants, confirmed that the two-decade-old establishment was no longer serving the popular beverage.
It is true we made the decision to remove Bud Light because of their support of something that is in direct opposition to our Biblical faith, Penovich wrote.
Referring to the brands recent collaboration with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Penovich said the decision was made with many tears for this circumstance and what we see as corporate greed and a deeper spiritual reality coming upon this world.
Penovich added that a letter to Anheuser-Busch, Bud Lights parent company, outlining the chains issues would also be made public.
The Grills chains announcement is the latest in a spate of transphobic backlash ignited by Mulvaneys videos promoting the beer, including one of her receiving Bud Light cans with her face on them to celebrate her first year of womanhood.
Among the detractors shunning the popular drink are beer guzzlers in Wyoming and country star Brantley Gilbert, who crushed a Bud Light can on stage this week. Bud Light recentl collaborated with Dylan Mulvaney.Instagram
Penovichs post was also partly in response to a previous Facebook post shared in a community group that accused Grills staff of throwing out Bud Light cans while the manager told customers We dont sell ft beer.
In his statement, Penovich denied the accusations.
Myself, management and our employees are devastated by the fact that this post deeply hurt members of the gay community and our employees that we have cared about and treated with the same non-judgmental respect we have given everyone for over 25 years, he wrote. Mulvaney received Bud Light cans with her face on them.Dylan Mulvaney/Instagram
A handful of supporters swiftly commented on the post, with one thanking Penovich for standing up for the so-called silent majority.
The hate will eventually go away and your business will be blessed! Stay strong! they wrote, vowing to visit the restaurant in-person on their next trip to Florida.
Others, however, flooded Penovichs post and the chains Yelp page with critical takedowns. Brantley Gilbert smashed a can of Bud Light on stage this week.Twitter / @TheThe1776
I’m shocked and saddened that our world is now one where a business owner can openly spew this kind of hatred and then pretend to be the victim, one person said.
Instead of being a loving and accepting person as Christ would want you to be, you are cherry picking parts of the Bible, and throwing a fit over an ad campaign.
I do not tolerate bigots, racists or trans/homophobes in my everyday life and I refuse to eat at ANY establishment that does! another shared on Yelp.
