100 Women We Love: Class of 2023

When GO Magazine first launched our annual feature, 100 Women We Love, nearly two decades ago, the world was a different place. The L Word had just wrapped its third season (did Shane just leave Carmen at the altar?); legal same-sex marriage was only available in Massachusetts (and briefly, San Francisco); “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a policy meant to protect queers in the military, backfired spectacularly and was used to keep us from serving at all; and the very first gay woman, Patricia Todd, took office in the Alabama legislature (though her male counterpart in Washington was recently booted from office for looking at gay websites on his work computer).

100 Women We Love: Rose Montoya

“I’m honestly surprised by how much has actually changed since I’ve become a content creator full time,” Rose Montoya reflects. Only a few years ago, the Latine, bisexual, and nonbinary transgender model, speaker, and advocate primarily worked as a makeup artist at a cosmetics counter. But when COVID-19 hit and she was laid off, Montoya decided to pivot. Now, they’re primarily known for their Trans 101 video series