Disney is facing calls for a Bud Light-style boycott over its use of a reportedly gender-fluid social media influencer to promote women’s clothing from the entertainment company.
The outrage came after a July 21 promotional video was posted to TikTok by Seann Altman wearing Minnie Mouse-branded garments resurfaced. “Minnie is ME!” he captioned the ad, which has since been viewed more than 880,000 times. “I fit right in with Mickey and his friends!”
Altman, who has 718,000 followers on TikTok, gives his pronouns as “he/him” and on his Instagram profile says he is “just being me” and “play[ing] dress up.” On his YouTube biography, he writes: “I love fashion and I believe people should be able to wear whatever they want based on how you feel without the restrictions.”
According to his personal website, Altman was born and raised in southern California and is now based in Los Angeles and Orange County area, having graduated with a bachelor of fine art in musical theatre from CSU Fullerton in Spring 2020. He also describes himself as an actor, singer and dancer.
The controversy comes after Bud Light and its parent company Anheuser-Busch were subject to a monthslong boycott over a partnership with transgender influencer and activist Dylan Mulvaney—a backlash referenced by many of the detractors to Altman’s ad.
Bud Light was accused of alienating its traditional customer base after it sent a commemorative can to Mulvaney to celebrate her one year anniversary of transitioning to a woman, while some in the LGBTQ+ community—including Mulvaney—have since slammed the company for not defending the partnership.
In addition, the beer brand has seen consistently lower sales since early April—when the controversy began—compared to the same time last year, and in Anheuser Busch’s latest financial report the company said that a 10.5 percent revenue decline was “primarily due to the volume decline of Bud Light.”
The controversies speak to a broader, culture-war debate about the inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals in public life.
Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse are seen during a “Disney On Ice” red carpet on July 5 in Mexico City. Disney is facing calls for a Bud Light-style boycott over its use of a reportedly gender-fluid social media influencer to promote women’s clothing from the entertainment company. Jaime Nogales/Medios y Media/Getty Images
In Altman’s ad, he assembles a Minnie Mouse-inspired outfit while narrating his clothing decisions, donning a red Minnie Mouse-branded dress, a white collar and petticoat, and a belt, before styling his hair to look like mouse ears. He then applies red lipstick, puts on some black tights and yellow heels before showing of the complete outfit.
“BOYCOTT DISNEY,” one X, formerly Twitter, user wrote on Thursday. “MAKE THEM REGRET THIS!!!”
“These Corporations will never learn,” Adam Brooks, a social media commentator, posted to X on Thursday. “They are run by people with seriously warped minds. Bud Light [Mark] 2.”
“At this point, I’m kind of surprised Disney hasn’t renamed the Magic Kingdom the Magic Queendom,” a third X user commented. “Time to hit the gas even harder on the Disney boycott.”
However, others made light of the controversy. Mike Sington, a former NBC Universal executive and social media influencer, wrote on X on Thursday of the partnership: “In other news: [Florida Governor] Ron DeSantis’ head just exploded,” a reference to DeSantis’s ongoing dispute with the company that started over his so-called “Don’t Say Gay” legislation that he signed in 2022.
Below Altman’s TikTok video, the Disney Style fan account commented: “As iconic as Minnie herself!” Meanwhile, other TikTok users described it as “adorable” and “precious,” with one writing: “SLAY also you need to wear this at Disneyland or [Disney]world.”
Newsweek reached out to Disney and a representative for Altman via email for comment on Friday.