For her first Met Gala, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez truly made a statement wearing a gown embellished with the words “Tax the Rich.” According to The New York Times, the reactions to her message were pretty strong, with some stating that the words on AOC’s gown, combined with her attendance at the lavish event, made her a hypocrite. However, the outlet noted that while tickets to attend the star-studded event are pretty pricey ($35,000 per ticket or $200,000 to $300,000 for a table), New York City elected officials are invited free of charge. Of course, despite the explanation for her appearance, there was still backlash, which included harsh comments from conservatives like Donald Trump Jr. and Rep. Jim Banks.
Still, plenty stood by AOC’s message, such as former New York City mayoral candidate Maya Wiley. “To walk into a space that’s about art, fashion, luxury and wealth and say, ‘Here is the conversation we have to confront, but I’m going to confront it in the vernacular of the event,’ is brilliant,” she stated. Additionally, despite the criticism, InStyle reported that AOC appeared to stand by her attendance and her message with an Instagram story explaining her choices. Revealing that she’d expected some negative response considering the nature of her work and her experience in politics, AOC also reaffirmed that many New York officials attend the Met Gala and that there were others there with her that evening as well.
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