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BenDeLaCreme DRAGS Delta pilot for 'no more masks' mid-flight announcement

'The pilot comes on to JOYOUSLY share the news that masks are no longer required. Mid-flight,' the drag queen tweeted

American drag queen BenDeLaCreme took to Twitter to drag the Delta pilot on her flight for "joyously" sharing the news of masks no longer being required to be worn. She further said that the passengers proudly moving around mask-free made her "physically ill" as she worried about a "spike" in cases.

"On a @delta flight and the pilot comes on to JOYOUSLY share the news that masks are no longer required. Mid-flight. The passengers proudly strutting through the aisles maskless make me physically ill. And I mean that literally cuz shiz about to SPIKE," the drag queen tweeted.

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"I'm on a plane every other day for the next several months. If this tour gets canceled that freaking judge better pay my rent," BenDeLaCreme added referring to the judge who lifted the mask mandate. She is currently on her US tour, which will be followed by her UK and Canada tours.

"Yep just happened on this flight as well! It was so weird hearing the flight attendant on my Delta flight get on the mic and cheer for joy at the fact there were no masks. Hope you are able to fly safe!" one user replied. Another wrote, "I don't understand what the big problem is for the majority of people to wear a mask in public. The amount of events that need to be canceled and stores temporarily closed just because people don't want to wear a mask."

Born Benjamin Putnam, BenDeLaCreme is known for being a contestant on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race and the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race: All-Stars. "It's a play on the term Crème de la Crème, which is French for Cream of the Cream, which just sounds like a dirty mess. I consider BenDeLaCreme to be the very best of Ben which is the name of the gentleman that I share a body with. DeLa is how I refer to the lady part of me. If you say Ben you're talking to that guy. If you say DeLa you are talking to me," she told Artes Magazine.

After a federal judge in Florida on Monday, April 18, ruled that the 14-month-old directive was unlawful, the Joe Biden administration announced that the Transportation Security Administration will no longer enforce the federal mandate. Masks are now optional for all airport employees, crew members, and customers inside US airports and onboard all aircraft domestically, as well as on most international flights, reports Delta News Hub.

US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle said the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, aka CDC, had exceeded its authority with the mandate, had not sought public comment, and did not adequately explain its decisions. The statement released by Transportation Security Administration says, "Due to today's court ruling, effective immediately, TSA will no longer enforce its Security Directives and Emergency Amendment requiring mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs. TSA will also rescind the new Security Directives that were scheduled to take effect tomorrow. CDC continues to recommend that people wear masks in indoor public transportation settings at this time."

Multiple people flying posted videos and photos on April 18 of people taking off their masks and applauding the ruling. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki called the ruling a 'disappointing decision' during her briefing and advised Americans to continue wearing masks on public transport. "The CDC continues recommending wearing a mask in public transit," Psaki said. 

Mask mandates have caused a surge in altercations between airline officials enforcing the mandate and passengers rejecting the face covering, the Federal Aviation Administration said that since January 2021, there have been a record 7,060 unruly passenger incidents reported - and 70% involved masking rules.