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Met Gala 2021: Were celebs masked? Trolls slam maskless pics, say 'no mask for famous'

All Met Gala 2021 attendees were asked to provide proof of full vaccination and a negative rapid PCR test the day before

The Met Gala always has a way of tearing the internet apart. And it’s usually because of the fashion choices the celebrities make and even this year Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's “Tax The Rich” dress did the same. But there was another layer to the conversation this time around. Were the celebrities masking in the wake of the rising Delta variant cases in the US? 

As per a Vogue report, this year, the evening’s dress code required face masks. All attendees were asked to provide proof of full vaccination and a negative rapid PCR test the day before. They were also reportedly required to wear proper face coverings when indoors except when eating or drinking.

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The vaccine requirement for the Met Gala came as the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) announced the same requirement for all guests, staff members, and individuals attending New York Fashion Week events in September. New York City mayor Bill de Blasio also said the city will require proof of vaccination to enter almost all indoor venues such as restaurants, gyms, and entertainment venues.

But photos of maskless celebs on the internet have been heavily criticized. But if that weren’t all, conservatives online also criticized the supposed hypocrisy of the mostly-liberal attendees at the gala, they were seen maskless while the staff had to wear masks throughout. The Daily Wire’s Megan Basham tweeted, “How can you tell the elite from the peasants? The peasants have to wear masks.” It was accompanied by a photo of Carolyn B Maloney, a Democrat and the US Representative for New York's 12th congressional district. 

The photo saw Maloney in a gown adorned with the purple, white and gold colors of the suffrage movement, featuring sashes that read "equal rights for women." She also displayed a green purse that read "ERA YES," a reference to the Equal Rights Amendment. The photo, however, saw her without a mask, and worse still, standing in front of a row of staff workers at the gala, all of whom were masked. 

Another person tweeted photos from the gala in a thread and said, “Masks are always crucial for multi-layered risk mitigation - as many as possible are best. It's still a strange imagery, though, that the Met Gala is masks for the assistants and no masks for the famous.” These photos included Justin and Hailey Bieber, Maloney, Olympian Simone Biles, and more. 

But does that mean celebs were not masked at all? Not at all. The same thread also contained photos of celebs wearing masks. The tweet read, “Here are the masks, away from the red carpet.” Another person tweeted a photo of Grimes and Finneas, saying, “My favorite #MetGala looks are the ones that incorporate masks.” There were also tweets showing Bee Carrozzini, Pete Davidson, and Lupita Nyong'o wearing masks. 

Some masks even made the news. Kim Kardashian West, who was decked out in black regalia from head to toe, looked almost like a dementor from the ‘Harry Potter’ series. And Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez were spotted together inside the 2021 Met Gala, kissing while having their masks on.

While there are quite a few photos of celebrities without masks, there are many of them wearing masks as well. But, of course, pictures from the red carpet can’t tell the whole story. Ahead of the event, quite a few Met Gala regulars announced or hinted that they would be staying home, including Kylie Jenner, Sarah Jessica Parker, Andy Cohen, and Zendaya. 

Nicki Minaj revealed that she was not attending the Met Gala because guests were required to show proof of vaccination over the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “They want you to get vaccinated for the Met. if I get vaccinated it won’t for the Met. It’ll be once I feel I’ve done enough research,” she wrote on Twitter. “I’m working on that now.” She added, “In the meantime my loves, be safe. Wear the mask with 2 strings that grips your head & face. Not that loose one.”