Rose Montoya's Parents Raised Their Transgender Daughter In The Church

Rose Montoya had a religious upbringing with parents deeply rooted in the church and upheld strong Christian values. While she is now a transgender activist, fans have been eager to know more about her background and who are parents are.

Rose Montoya grew up with her family in a small town in Idaho. She was raised in a religious background, with both her parents working in the ministry.

Having grown up in a church environment, she started her stage performances at an early age. At four, she confidently expressed her identity as a girl and chose the name Queen Rose on camera.

In 10th grade, Montoya came out to her friends as attracted to men but was subsequently outed to her family. Rose Montoya's family reaction deeply affected her, but she gained support in college when she began performing in drag.

In 2015, she publicly disclosed her transgender identity and subsequently underwent a legal name change to Rosalynne Montoya. The following year she shared her bisexuality with the world.

After exploring her understanding of gender, she later came out as nonbinary in 2019. Rose now uses she/her/hers and they/them/their/theirs pronouns.

Rose Montoya's Family's Reaction When She Came Out as Transgender

When Montoya's family knew she was queer, she received a lot of criticism from them. Having been raised in a religious background, Montaya was told she was an abomination, a sinner, and that she would go to hell for living her truth.

The model, actor, and transgender activist revealed that it took her years to process her internalized shame and guilt. Years later, while in college, she learned to accept herself and finally garnered the courage to come out as transgender in 2015.

Montoya took the initiative to compose a lengthy 20-page letter addressed to her entire family, expressing her desire to live authentically and establishing personal boundaries. In the letter, she wrote:

"I'm trans—and if you don't like that, then you don't have a family member anymore."

How Rose Montoya's Mother Responded to Her Being Queer

It took a whole day after sending the letter before she heard from her family. Rose Montoya received a phone call from her mother. The actor and model recounted that her mother's tone conveyed fear and concern about her future.

However, Montoya's impression from the conversation was that her mother would not love or embrace her for her true self. She disclosed that her mother had no personal acquaintance with any transgender individuals.

Her only exposure or understanding was based on negative portrayals in media, such as associating trans individuals with the serial killer character from the thriller "Silence of the Lambs," which starred Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.

However, it seemed her parents came around as she moved back to live with them when the quarantine hit, and she was in a toxic relationship. At the time, she had also lost her job and her home. Around that time, she also decided to get her surgery done, which her family supported.

Rose Montoya's Father Worked as a Full-Time Pastor

Raised in a rural community in Idaho, Montoya spent her formative years in a Christian household where her father served as a full-time worship pastor and her mother dedicated herself to missionary work.

Despite the challenges, Montaya remains deeply rooted in fighting for transgender rights. She is a board member of Aadya Rising, a non-profit focusing on helping the transgender community.