Trans influencer Rose Montoya, banned from the White House after flashing his breasts there on Saturday, said he is tired of seeing brands ‘caving to the bullies.’
The 27-year-old has over 800,000 followers on TikTok, and told the Guardian that this year he did not receive many brands or companies seeking to partner with him for Pride month.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of my trans friends and colleagues, and we’ve all noticed less brands seeking partnerships and smaller budgets for Pride campaigns,” Montoya told the Guardian. “It’s disappointing.”
Target scaled back its Pride collection following public outcry surrounding ‘tuck friendly’ swimsuits. The swimsuit included extra fabric in the crotch, so that it is easier to hide male genitalia. The company also caught backlash for including designs from a Satan-loving designer. In May, CEO Brian Cornell announced the company will suffer an estimated $500 million in lost profits this year, Breitbart reported.
Many consumers believe Target selling Pride products marketed toward children is grooming behavior and that therefore those products should be pulled.
This year, Target received 15,000 social media calls to boycott the company due its pride collection — 40 times more than last year, the New York Post reported.
After partnering with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney in April, Bud Light is predicted to see a 26 % drop in U.S. earnings this year, Breitbart reported.
The son of a pastor, Montoya came out as transgender in 2015 when he was 20 years old. He and other members of the LGBTQIA community have accused corporations of participating in ‘rainbow capitalism’ or ‘pink washing.’
“When it comes to Pride, I need to know if a company is doing good in the world and actually showing up for our community,” Montoya said. “I’m very selective of who I work with, and I need to know that a company is doing good in the world, not just profiting off of us.”
Skincare influencer Michael Crumm told the Guardian he thinks some corporations see PRIDE month as a ‘money grab.’
“Over time, you can tell the brands that are doing it just to be a part of the moment or for consumerism,” Crumm said. “The brands that I feel truly care do things all year long.”
Montoya slammed back at critics of his lewd stunt at the White House pride celebration, and said it’s not ‘groomer’ behavior to go topless in public, the New York Post reported.
“Going topless in DC is legal, and I fully support the movement to free the nipples,” he said. “Why is my chest now deemed inappropriate or illegal when I show it off? However, before coming out as trans, it was not.”