The White House was the scene of an event that has generated controversy on social media. During the Pride Month celebration hosted by Joe Biden, some trans activists were videotaped bragging about going topless at the official residence of the U.S. president.
Rose Montoya, a trans man, posted a video on his Instagram account where he is seen with other trans activists touching and moving their breasts on the South Lawn with the White House in the background covered in LGBT flags. In the footage, someone is heard shouting, "Are we topless at the White House?"
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The video also shows Montoya dancing with the LGBT flag during the event, chatting with First Lady Jill Biden and holding the hand of President Biden to whom he said, "It's an honor, Mr. President. Trans rights are human rights."
In another shot, Biden is seen holding a phone trying to take a picture with Montoya and the other partygoers, but the camera was set to video mode.
Going topless at the White House
Montoya received a litany of criticism on social media. Users called the act out of place. The Libs of TikTok account, tweeted, "This is what happened at the White House pride event. A disgrace to our country."
This is what happened at the White House pride event. A disgrace to our country. pic.twitter.com/QmXVIdmOPr
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 13, 2023
Conservative commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk also criticized the event:
GRAPHIC: Trans TikTok "influencer" Rose Montoya, posed topless at Biden's White House Pride celebration. Next to him is a biological female, also topless, who had her breasts surgically removed. pic.twitter.com/1cprqxtkcQ
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 13, 2023
"Going topless in Washington, D.C., is legal"
When Montoya's video went viral, Montoya again took to Instagram to defend himself against the criticism. Montoya justified the action by claiming that going topless in public is not illegal in Washington, D.C. In addition, he added that he "had zero intention of trying to be vulgar" and that the criticism is only "affirming that I am a woman":
I would like to say that, first of all, going topless in Washington, D.C., is legal, and I fully support the movement and freeing the nipple because why is my chest now deemed inappropriate or illegal when I show it off? However, before coming out as trans, it was not? All you're doing is affirming that I am a woman. All you're doing is saying that trans women are women because, for some reason, people like to sexualize women's bodies and say that they're inappropriate.
The self-described influencer added, "My transmasculine friends were showing off their top surgery scars and living in joy, and I wanted to join them. And because it is perfectly within the law in Washington, D.C., I decided to join them and cover my nipples just to play it safe, because I wanted to be fully free and myself."
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Second incident to be criticized at White House Pride Month event
Montoya's toplessness is the second incident to be criticized at the event. The first was because President Joe Biden violated the National Flag Code by placing a giant LGBT flag prominently on the main facade of the White House, between two American flags.
According to the rule, the national symbol must be placed "in the position of honor" when it flies next to a group of state, local or corporate emblems. Likewise,"no other flag should be placed above it. The flag of the United States is always the first to be raised and the last to be lowered." Prominent officials and public figures have accused the Biden administration of disparaging the U.S. flag.
