The Met Gala didn’t invent hypocrisy. Hypocrisy has long been a feature of human societies, dating back to ancient times. While we often hold others to high standards of behavior, we may excuse our own actions or those of our allies or preferred groups. This double standard is particularly evident in politics, where politicians often change their positions based on political expediency or the shifting political winds. Similarly, hypocrisy is a common feature of social and cultural life, as we often hold others accountable for behavior that we engage in. While hypocrisy can be frustrating and disheartening, it is a natural and unavoidable feature of human societies. Recognizing and addressing it is an important step toward creating a more equitable world.
Jonathan Majors is the most recent celebrity under fire due to his assault allegations. We have seen a once notable actors star beaming brightly, now dimmed in distress. Why am I mentioning him? Because he will be the point of reference for the issues I address below. To be CLEAR, this is not an article about defending Jonathan Majors. This article is about hypocrisy within the fashion industry, so keep that top of mind when you’re reading.
The Messy Met
The Met Gala 2023 happened, and I find myself annoyed, not because of the fantastical vanity of the celebs. I genuinely do think it would be fun to have an opportunity to dress up based on a theme.
I’m annoyed because The Met Gala is full of crap. For those who don’t know, The Met Gala is a high-profile fundraiser event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. The event usually marks the debut of the institute’s annual fashion exhibit. Each year, the charity raises a lot of money. In other words, it’s a charity event for the who’s who, and no commoners are allowed. Each year the charity has a specific theme that the celebrities will interpret on the red carpet in the most creative of ways. Now for the hypocrisy.
I can’t help but see how funds and Fashion are way more important than the treatment of people. It seems that when people want to, they’ll separate the person from their art bc it suits them. Jonathan Majors is in a lot of hot water based on the physical abuse allegations he’s up against. Due to this, he has been dropped from a lot of things. One of those things was The Met Gala revoking their invitation to him. I have no problem with this. I get it. To not deal with drama usually, companies and such will back away.
BUT
If you remember what I mentioned earlier about the met gala having themes, this year’s theme is honoring Karl Lagerfeld. He is a prominent figure in the fashion industry, known for his contributions to iconic brands like Chanel, Fendi, and his eponymous label. However, he was also known for his controversial statements that often caused a stir in the fashion world.
This man never shied away from speaking his mind; he was fatphobic, racist, and sexist.
Many people have not forgotten, and these bad traits will forever have us talking, but most recently, Jameela Jamil.
You can google to read about his bigotry, but some of his toxic verbiage is below.
“No one wants to see curvy women. You’ve got fat mothers with their bags of chips sitting in front of the television and saying thin models are ugly. Fashion is about dreams and illusion.
“I don’t like her face. She should only show her back.” – about Pippa Middleton.
He also faced backlash for his remark on the #MeToo movement, stating, “If you don’t want your pants pulled about, don’t become a model! Join a nunnery.” He also said women “get horny from politics, from power.”
Should this behavior be overlooked because he’s cloaked in the problematic fashion industry thread? The answer is no.
So The Met Gala is saying it’s ok to be fatphobic, racist, and sexist when talented (art is subjective), but if you have a domestic abuse allegation, you can’t attend. This is NOT ok. If they believe in the fair treatment of people, then Majors invitation is revoked, and you don’t honor problematic Karl. But they honor Karl because the Gala doesn’t care about these issues when it serves them. It’s all about the glitz and the glam. The performative activism. So who calls them out? We do. Do I do this bc I want the met gala to change? No, bc they won’t. It was a successful night for them, and that’s the bottom line. Calling this out to let them know we see them for who they are.
I’m sure some of you will roll your eyes and say can we have a night of enjoyment?! And you can. I’m only saying let’s not do this performative activism to save face because they don’t care. They’re consciously or subconsciously saying abuse is worst than being racist, sexist, etc, when they’re ALL bad. There shouldn’t be a trauma comparison.
Apparently, some celebrities wore pink to the event because Karl hated pink, and yes, that’s some form of rebelling, but at the end of the day, Karl is dead, and The Met is throwing the event. Therefore, these celebrity’s presence alone still supports the agenda.
It’s interesting how selective people, in this case, The Met Gala, can be when they want to be. To keep it short and sweet, let’s not pretend to care about the treatment of others and actually care.
