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Met Gala 2023: Internet splits as WNBA star Brittney Griner and wife Cherelle walk the red carpet 5 months after release from Russian prison

Brittney Griner wore a beige blazer, matching suit pants, and a semi-sheer shirt, while Cherelle donned a long, strapless white dress to the Gala

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: From Russia to the Met! While attending the 2023 Met Gala with wife Cherelle Griner, WNBA star Brittney Griner looked chic on the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. On Monday, May 1, Brittney, 32, and her wife Cherelle, 30, went on a red carpet date to the 2023 Met Gala. Just months after the WNBA star's release from a Russian prison, they walked the red carpet together at the exclusive event in New York City.

In reverence of the 2023 theme, the ladies donned Calvin Klein outfits that were inspired by Karl Lagerfeld. Brittney praised them, saying, "They have done an amazing job," during her red carpet appearance with Vogue. "It’s dripping off of us right now."

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The 6-foot-9 center was dressed by Calvin Klein

The 6-foot-9 center was wearing Calvin Klein clothing, including a long beige blazer, matching suit pants, and a semi-sheer shirt underneath in a similar color. She was compelled to cut off her hair because it was still short and froze after showers due to the harsh conditions in the prison facility. Alongside her, Cherelle walked the red carpet in a long, strapless white dress that accentuated and hugged her figure, as reported by Daily Mail.

Cherelle completed the ensemble with similar silver feature earrings, a white purse, a bracelet, and a ring. In 2013, she admitted to Elle that she had last worn a dress for her high school graduation at her mother's urging and vowed never to do it again. Given that her wife was imprisoned at this time last year, Cherelle acknowledged the significance of the couple being able to attend the elegant event together.

Why was Brittney Griner detained in Russia?

According to a Page Six source, WNBA star Brittney was unfairly imprisoned in Russia from February 2022 until her December 2022 release as part of a prisoner swap. The WNBA player was found in possession of less than a gram of hash oil at the airport in February 2022 after being prescribed cannabis, which is illegal in Russia but lawful in the United States. She was then detained on drug smuggling charges in Russia. After serving five months in jail, Brittney was brought to trial where she entered a guilty plea but argued that she had no intention of breaking Russian law, as per Hollywood Life.

Mixed reactions by the Internet

Internet users were both happy and irate at the attendance of the WNBA star at the 2023 Met Gala, which took them to Twitter to express their points of view. One group of social media users supported their presence, with one commenting, "Glad she is back safe with her wife. It's heinous that cannabis used for medical or pain relief as I do is a trigger for that type of detention anywhere. Too many elected officials and judges practicing medicine without a license these days, here and where she was." A second user tweeted, "She wasn't selling anything." Another fan backed and wrote, "They look fantastic - individually and as a couple. Great choices! I had no idea BG was XY. Good for them living their truth, but boo on them for taking away from XX girls and women."

However, there's an army of Internet users who slammed Brittney's presence at the event. One such user wrote, "So they’re letting criminals there now. Nice." A second one came along and typed, "This has to be one of the goofier ways someone has become a celebrity. Getting caught selling weed in Russia makes you a brave hero. And this is in the post-reality tv era. Impressive." Someone else snarked, "An athlete that was caught with illegal drugs and caused an international incident, this is who we celebrate." Another user preached morality and wrote, "Celebrating someone who was punished for criminal behavior in another country, like she’s some type of hero for it. Makes sense. We’ve lost our moral compass. She should be relieved to be home but ashamed of her conduct. We should not be treating her like a hero."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.