In the aftermath of Saturday's Pride celebration at the White House, controversy has sparked over transgender model and activist Rose Montoya's act of going topless, an incident that critics have labeled an "international embarrassment."
Montoya, 27, one of the many guests at the 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue event, was filmed pulling down her dress and covering her bare breasts near the Truman Balcony, under the fluttering Pride flag.
Dana Loesch, a radio host, took to Twitter to react, insinuating that the incident was part of the controversial ambiance of the event, sarcastically stating, "No, this isn’t another scandalous photo from Hunter’s laptop, it was the Pride party on the White House lawn two days ago hosted by Joe."
View this post on Instagram
The incident did not go unnoticed by Bernard Kerik, the former New York Police Commissioner, who served jail time for tax fraud and lying to White House officials before receiving a pardon from former President Trump. Kerik strongly criticized the Biden administration for permitting such an act on the premises of the White House.
Questioning the control over the White House, Kerik asked, "Who is running the f***ing White House and allowing this questionable conduct right outside the Oval Office?" He further called it an "international embarrassment".
Montoya later posted the contentious video on her Instagram on Monday, spliced together with clips of the event, which featured speeches by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden before hundreds of guests.
In the video, the model, who hails from Idaho, had the opportunity to meet the president and the first lady. She told Biden during their handshake, "It is an honor. Trans rights are human rights."
President Biden, 80, praised the LGBTQ+ community in his speech, referring to them as "some of the bravest and most inspiring people" he has ever known.
Conservatives seized on Montoya's video to launch attacks on the transgender community, leading to Montoya defending her actions. She highlighted that toplessness is legal in Washington, DC, and expressed her support for the "free the nipple" movement.
Montoya, who started her transition in 2015, said she had covered her nipples intentionally to "play it safe," with no intention of vulgarity, but instead to celebrate her identity.
However, Montoya was not the only one subjected to criticism for the Pride celebration. The Biden administration faced backlash from prominent military veterans for the Pride banner's positioning in a flag display, which they considered disrespectful to the American flag.
Representative Cory Mills (R-Fla.), an Army veteran, stated that "No flag should be flown at an equal level to the American flag," calling the placement of the flag "shameful."
The White House press office has yet to comment on these controversies.