The White House has permanently banned transgender influencer Rose Montoya from future events after she exposed her breasts at a gay pride party on the president’s south lawn on Saturday. President Biden described attendees at the party as “the bravest and most inspiring people I have ever known.”
Montoya, who was born male, posted a video to social media on Saturday of herself meeting President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the White House’s ‘Pride Celebration.’
After greeting the president and declaring that “trans rights are human rights,” Montoya proceeded to cup her bare breasts for the camera in front of the executive mansion. She was flanked by two other topless individuals, one of whom had apparently had their breasts removed as part of a female-to-male gender transition.
The clip drew criticism online, but Montoya dug in her heels, insisting in a follow-up video that she had broken no Washington DC laws. In a second follow-up clip, Montoya said she “had zero intention of trying to be vulgar,” adding “Free the nipple!”
The White House did not approve, with a spokesperson telling reporters on Tuesday that Montoya and her companions would no longer be welcome at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
“This behavior is inappropriate and disrespectful for any event at the White House,” the spokesperson said. “It is not reflective of the event we hosted to celebrate LGBTQI+ families or the other hundreds of guests who were in attendance. Individuals in the video will not be invited to future events.”
Around 1,000 guests were invited to the event, during which Biden boasted of repealing former President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender troops in the military, working to end a ban on gay men donating blood, and pressuring Uganda to repeal a hardline anti-gay law. As Biden spoke, a rainbow-colored ‘Pride’ banner hung from the center of the White House balcony, taking visual precedence over the American flags on either side.
“You’re some of the bravest and most inspiring people I’ve ever known,” Biden told the gay and transgender attendees. “You set an example for the nation and, quite frankly, for the world."