The Topless Triumph: Rose Montoya’s Bold Stand for Trans Rights Sets Social Media on Fire

Transgender advocate Rose Montoya, who was prohibited from entering the White House after baring her chest during a Pride Month gathering on the South Lawn, has experienced a surge in popularity on social media.

On a Saturday afternoon, President Joe Biden hosted a picnic on the South Lawn, welcoming hundreds of guests. The event was part of the administration's celebration of Pride Month and its commitment to supporting the LGBTQ+ community, particularly in response to the numerous anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced and passed at the state level across the country.

Among the attendees was Montoya, an activist for transgender rights who gained recognition in 2021 for her educational content on trans issues shared through social media. On Monday, Montoya uploaded a video to her Instagram and TikTok accounts, providing an overview of the White House picnic.

Montoya exclaimed, "Trans rights are human rights," in the video while shaking hands with Biden. Towards the end of the footage, Montoya was seen walking towards the White House and going topless on the South Lawn, concealing her breasts with her hands. In response to Rose Montoya's actions, a White House spokesperson stated in a Newsweek interview that her behavior was "inappropriate and disrespectful for any event at the White House."

The spokesperson emphasized that her actions did not reflect the purpose of the event, which was to celebrate LGBTQI+ families, and that the individuals shown in the video would not be invited to future events.

Although Rose Montoya's actions resulted in her being barred from attending future White House events, her number of followers has significantly increased since the incident.

According to Social Blade, Montoya has gained 1,100 followers since Saturday, bringing her total count to 793,900 as of Wednesday. In the previous week, she had gained only 100 followers over the course of seven days.

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While Rose Montoya's video drew strong backlash from conservatives online, her decision to go topless also upset some LGBTQ+ rights supporters.

In a subsequent video, the activist and influencer defended her actions, asserting that going topless in Washington, D.C., is legal and accusing conservatives of exploiting the video to promote their own agenda.

"It has come to my attention that conservatives are attempting to label the community as groomers based on the video of me being topless at the White House," Rose Montoya stated in a TikTok video. "I want to clarify that going topless in Washington, D.C., is perfectly legal, and I wholeheartedly support the movement to free the nipple. Why should my chest be considered inappropriate or illegal when I expose it? Before coming out as trans, it wasn't."

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Rose Montoya further explained, "My transmasculine friends proudly display their top surgery scars and find happiness in doing so, and I wanted to join them. Since it is within the bounds of the law in Washington, D.C., I decided to join them while ensuring my nipples were covered, just to be cautious."

While the law in Washington, D.C., does not explicitly forbid going topless, it does state that "it shall not be lawful for any person or persons to make any obscene or indecent exposure of his or her person, or to make any lewd, obscene, or indecent sexual proposal, or to commit any other lewd, obscene, or indecent act in the District of Columbia."

In recent months, numerous prominent U.S. brands have faced boycott calls as they release products in support of Pride Month, observed annually in June. Companies that extend their support for the LGBTQ+ community beyond Pride Month have also encountered backlash from conservatives.

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