Tiara Mack, a Democratic Rhode Island State Senator, is facing backlash after sharing an ‘upside down’ twerk video on her official TikTok account on the 4th of July. The video has since gone viral, causing widespread controversy.
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The state senator donned a revealing yellow bikini and effortlessly performed an unconventional headstand trick in her video.
@mackdistrict6a promised senator thirst trap at Block Island 😈♬ original sound – Senator Tiara Mack
At the end of the video, the 28-year-old turned to the camera and made a plea for votes, saying: “Vote Senator Mack!”
The Democratic politician, who identifies as a “Black, queer woman,” has gained over 70,000 views for the video.
In addition to the beach stunt, Tiara posted another video where she asked, “How many nip slips are allowed on Americas day off?”
@mackdistrict6 how many nip slips are allowed on americas day off? #wlw #rhodytiktok ♬ original sound – Senator Tiara Mack
As expected, many criticized her for using a cheap tactic to gain votes. A comment stated, “If this is what’s running for our country, we are in serious trouble.”
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Some even suggested that her opponent would be foolish not to use the video against her. Another person accused her of setting back the progress of women.
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A fourth commented, “I don’t ever wanna hear you complain about how ‘women aren’t respected in this country’ after posting this.”
Tucker Carlson, the host of Fox News, jumped on the bandwagon of those ridiculing her performance by airing the video on his show.
He mocked her by saying that her “proven talent” indicated she was “the next rising star in the Democratic Party.”
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However, some expressed support, with one comment saying, “I need to see more politicians doing [this].”
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Another comment read, “Tempted to move to RI just to say this is my senator. 100%”
Nevertheless, Mack remained unapologetic about her behavior and uploaded another video, arguing that her twerking performance was a compelling expression of bodily independence.
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She said: “The conversations about my body twerking upside down are directly correlated to the conversation that’s happening in the United States right now after the overturning of Roe. V. Wade. The crux of the conversation about abortion is about body autonomy.”
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Tiara shared a post from a supporter who argued that she faced criticism because she is a young, queer Black leader and an advocate for reproductive rights.
The trolls aren’t coming for @runforsomething candidate @MackDistrict6 because of a video – they’re coming for b/c she’s a young queer Black leader & a fierce champion for repro rights. We’ve got her back. Chip in to her re-election now: https://t.co/DiTAETSX3f pic.twitter.com/NlubDqymZz
— Amanda Litman (@amandalitman) July 5, 2022
What do you think of Tiara Mack’s actions? D you think a state senator should avoid “individual” behaviors that could potentially damage their public image, or is it their right to express themselves freely? Let us know in the comments.