College student poses with gun in waistband and 'Women for Trump' shirt

A 22-year-old Tennessee college student "proud" of her Second Amendment right recently posed for a photo with a gun in her waistband while wearing a "Women for Trump" shirt.

The photo posted by University of Tennessee at Chattanooga student Brenna Spencer with the caption, "I don't take normal graduation photos" has been liked nearly 70,000 times since it was posted on Friday, but the college senior has been heavily criticized as well.

"I try to stay off the comments, to be honest," Spencer told ABC News. "I just know that I got a lot of hate."

The photo was taken outside of the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga. She did not enter the museum with the weapon, according to ABC News. Spencer told The Blaze that the weapon was a .380-mm handgun.

"I know the Tennessee state gun codes," Spencer told the network.

Museum employees told News Channel 9 that a no-gun policy applies both inside and outside the facility. The picture "doesn't appear to comply with the policy," an official told the station.

Spencer was applauded by many for her stance, but one critic wrote on Twitter that "I’m 100% pro gun but brandishing a firearm for a photo shoot or showing it off to try and look cool is just stupid. They are tools. Why brag about carrying a gun?"

"Because I'm proud of my second amendment right and I want to empower other women!" Spencer responded. "Absolutely they are tools but I will always brag about being able to carry a gun to protect myself, my friends and my family!"

Spencer said she was surprised by the response to the photo.

"I did think that it would get a little attention but not to this degree," she told ABC News. "It was really, really surprising to see the amount of hate that I got."