Lady Gaga Revolutionized Mask-Wearing at the 2020 VMAs
Gaga showed that we can take masks — a symbol of our current troubles — and turn them into objects that bring us joy.
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Lady Gaga is the master of using style to make political and social statements. And she proudly embraced that reputation last night, promoting a pro-mask message at the socially distanced 2020 MTV Video Music Awards in New York.
During her acceptance speech for the Tricon Award, she noted: “Stay safe, speak your mind, and I might sound like a broken record, but wear a mask. It’s a sign of respect.” She wore a glittery, silver Maison Met mask with a cape as she encouraged people to stay positive during a dark time.
“This has not been an easy year for a lot of people, but what I see in the world is a massive triumph of courage…Just because we’re separated right now the culture might feel less alive in some ways. I know a renaissance is coming and the wrath of pop culture will inspire you and the rage of art will empower you as it responds to hardship with generosity and love.”
I did not watch the show live, but as I scrolled through my Facebook late yesterday, I saw a picture of her posing on the red carpet wearing a trendy, astronaut helmet-like face shield. Caption? “I was wearing face shields before it was a thing.”
As I watched the show this morning, I was so impressed by her commitment to promoting masks. She wore six throughout the show, changing between them for almost all of her costume changes (seven in total). She and Ariana Grande even sang and danced to “Rain On Me” in masks, without struggling for breath.
