White House Bars Topless Transgender Influencer From Events
Newsweek in a statement it was "inappropriate and disrespectful for any event at the White House."The spokesperson said that her actions were "not reflective of the event we hosted to celebrate LGBTQI+ families or the other hundreds of guests who were in attendance" and that "Individuals in the video will not be invited to future events."On Saturday afternoon, President Joe Biden welcomed hundreds of guests to a picnic on the South Lawn as part of a celebration of Pride Month and the administration's support for the LGBTQ+ community amid a flurry of anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have been introduced and passed across the country at the state level.Among the attendees was Montoya, a transgender rights activist who rose to prominence in 2021 for her educational social media content about transgender issues.
On Monday, Montoya posted a video to her Instagram and TikTok accounts, recapping the White House picnic. One of the clips showed Montoya holding her bare breasts on the South Lawn.Montoya's video drew fierce backlash from conservatives online, but Montoya's decision to go topless also upset some supporters of LGBTQ+ rights."[Y]our feckless topless stunt has set us back further!
Those of us who have been clawing and fighting for equality will not forgive you," one Instagram user commented under the video.Another user told Montoya that while they support her and everything that she stands for, "Exposing your breasts at this event did not help the cause.""It took focus from what this event was meant to be and focused it right on to you," the user wrote. "I'm sorry to say this to you as I do really support you and admire you.
