Topless photo at White House sparks uproar as trans model banned
Rose Montoya was invited to an event at the White House. But officials say she won't be coming back again.
A model and social media influencer has reportedly been banned from the White House in the US after posting a video online which shows her posing topless moments after meeting President Joe Biden.
Rose Montoya, a trans model and activist, was among many who were invited to a Pride Party on the South Lawn on Saturday (local time) where the president gave a speech to mark Pride month. However her actions during the gathering have subsequently been slammed as "inappropriate and disrespectful" by the White House.
Following the event, the 27-year-old posted a video to Instagram that included her meeting with the president and First Lady Jill Biden. "It is an honour. Trans rights are human rights," she said posing alongside the US leader.
The video then flashes to the influencer dancing in front of the iconic white building with two shirtless men as she cupped her bare breasts with her hands, covering her nipples as she danced.
The controversial move caught the attention of White House officials, NBC News reports, after heated backlash online.
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White house slams 'disrespectful' act
In a statement overnight, a White House spokesperson told the US news channel that Montoya and the other people featured in her video would be banned from future events organised at the White House.
"This behaviour is inappropriate and disrespectful for any event at the White House. It is not reflective of the event we hosted to celebrate LGBTQI+ families or the other hundreds of guests who were in attendance," the spokesperson said. "Individuals in the video will not be invited to future events."
Model defends act of nudity
Montoya has since responded to the backlash and defended her display of nudity in another post on Instagram. She said flashing her breasts "is perfectly within the law of Washington, D.C".
While technically true, the White House is considered federal land where local D.C. laws do not universally apply.
"I had zero intention of trying to be vulgar or be profane in any way. I was simply living my joy and my truth and existing in my body," she said.
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