The “infamous” Rhode Island state senator who posted a video of her at the beach twerking while doing a handstand on TikTok had her account suspended on Tuesday due to the backlash she received over the eight-second video. TikTok restored Sen. Tiara Mack’s account the following day.
Tuesday, the viral 28-year-old Democrat posted on Twitter a screenshot of her TikTok account with a popup message informing her that her account was banned.
Just learned I was banned on tiktok π
β Tiara Mack (@MackDistrict6) July 12, 2022
This is the message I notifying me I was banned. Typo and all. pic.twitter.com/XCOMUuiRTW
β Tiara Mack (@MackDistrict6) July 12, 2022
I am back on tik tok and can make more content that exposes yβalls misogyny, racism, and queer phobia β¨
β Tiara Mack (@MackDistrict6) July 13, 2022
In the viral July 4 video, Mack stood on her head, twerked, and encouraged people to vote for her.
@mackdistrict6a promised senator thirst trap at Block Island πβ¬ original sound – Senator Tiara Mack
Notwithstanding the backlash over her unique campaign video, Sen. Mack has madeΒ it clear that she’s impenitent over celebratory twerk. In an interview with WPRI’s Ted Nesi, the district six senator discussed how she decided to use her viral video and the turmoil to bring awareness to the causes she’s passionate about.
“I didn’t really expect this to take off globally, and I did not expect this to become like a meme sensation,” Mack said. “But I’m glad it’s sparked a lot of important conversations, and it’s sparked a lot of important conversations, and it’s been able to uplift a lot of the causes that I care about.”
She added, “I’ve struggled with the idea that in order to be respected, I have to be fully clothed and buttoned up, and I have to be performing in a way that is inauthentic to myself.”
On Twitter, Mack used #TwerkFor to raise awareness of issues like housing, trans rights, Black Girl Magic, intersex justice, and the Black wealth gap.
I #TwerkFor Back Girl Magic pic.twitter.com/HiEXo763Fi
β Tiara Mack (@MackDistrict6) July 7, 2022
I #TwerkFor trans rights π³οΈββ§οΈ pic.twitter.com/4AKEnCuVEz
β Tiara Mack (@MackDistrict6) July 7, 2022
Solitary Confinement is torture π£π£π£ I #TwerkFor ending this abusive practice in Rhode Island 1/2 pic.twitter.com/TPkSzemOLl
β Tiara Mack (@MackDistrict6) July 9, 2022
On top of the twerking video, Mack has been seen as controversial due to her pushing for schools to educate grades six through twelve in “family life or sex education” in Rhode Island. She believes the sex curriculum should focus on abstinence, preventative measures for pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and sexual violence.
She added that the sex course should be “appropriate for students of all races, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and shall affirmatively recognize pleasure-based sexual relationships, different sexual orientations and be inclusive of the same-sex relationships in discussions and examples.”
While Mack is using her twerking mishap to raise awareness, the Rhode Island Republican Party is using her popularity in the media to collect donations.
When Senator Tiara Mack is not pushing sexual pleasure bills in schools or the removal of voter IDs for elections, she spends her time asking voters to reelect her while twerking.
Rhode Island deserves better. #TwerkingTiara
Chip In TODAY >>https://t.co/s8fmSRqc5E pic.twitter.com/8XFk1VGuie
β RI Republican Party (@RhodeIslandGOP) July 6, 2022
If the RI GOP is going to raise money off my twerking, I might as well too. https://t.co/im77K0QINU β¨ pic.twitter.com/zMv6eBJ6cf
β Tiara Mack (@MackDistrict6) July 6, 2022
In a July 8 tweet, Mack implied that she was receiving death threats for her video and told her tormentors that the video wasn’t for them.
If you think I deserve death threats for a day at the beach then my twerk was not for you to begin with πβ¨ #TwerkFor the audacity to have joy and peace REGARDLESS
β Tiara Mack (@MackDistrict6) July 8, 2022
Mack has been a Rhode Island State Senator, representing District six since Jan. 5, 2021, and she’s seeking re-election after her term ends on Jan. 3, 2023. The upcoming election will take place on Nov. 8, 2022.
