Internet Reacts to Roe v. Wade News Breaking During the Met Gala

The news that the Supreme Court may overturn the nationwide legal right to abortion broke while Twitter was reacting to the outrageous and glamorous looks of celebrities at the 2022 Met Gala.

A leaked document revealed that the famous 1973 precedent of Roe v. Wade which legalized abortion could be overturned. At the same time, the 2022 Met Gala, an event known for featuring celebrities sporting outrageous outfits, was happening in New York City at the The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Social media reacted to the overlapping news stories with many people commenting on supposed links between the freedom female celebrities enjoy at the Met Gala, and the removal of freedoms if Roe v Wade is repealed.

The theme of the 2022 Met Gala was "Gilded Glamour" which inspired classic looks from centuries gone by. An image shared by Twitter user @axkstra compared her expectations of the event with the reality. The expectations of the gala were Bridgerton-inspired, but she claims the reality is akin to The Handmaid's Tale.

The comparisons between the Supreme Court reported draft opinion and The Handmaid's Tale were also made by Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland who invoked Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel.

Former Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton attended the 2022 Met Gala and many people online linked the introduction of the Roe v. Wade repeal with the fact that voters elected Donald Trump rather than her in 2016.

Seemingly tweeting from the event, Clinton shared her dismay at the development but admitted she wasn't surprised at the news, which she called "an utter disgrace."

Entrepreneur Rahul Puri drew similar comparisons to the devastation for women, implying that the theme of the Met Gala matches the politics of the 1800s. "Love the way the [Met Gala] was 1800s themed and the [Supreme Court] overturning [Roe v Wade] just took America back to the 1800s," he wrote. Journalist Ernest Owens seemed devastated by the news too and wrote, "[Roe v Wade] is being overturned right now, I can't even think about [Met Gala] right now."

Author Wajahat Ali also noted the irony of the Met Gala theme. "The women wearing beautiful gowns and dresses at the [Met Gala] have lost their right to control their bodies thanks to the right wing extremists on the Supreme Court overruling [Roe v Wade]. So we have gone back to the Gilded Age it seems."

Elsewhere the majority of outrage from Twitter was mixed with the disappointment that the news dropped at what is usually an exciting time. Using a SpongeBob meme to share they feelings, user @Disguisedpuddle explained how Americans were torn between the two news stories.

The "juxtaposition" of the glamour of the Met Gala mixed with the news of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade was "jarring" to user @Lisibell_87. "When we choose glamour, it doesn't mean we won't fight for our right to bodily autonomy. Life isn't a gala. Our rights aren't a game," she wrote.

@AshleyGMenzel also felt the pain of the two seemingly polar opposite news events. "All the photos of celebrities in pretty and expensive outfits posting on social media and the panic and fear of women nationwide feels about right," wrote the Twitter user.

The leaked 93-page document obtained by Politico suggests the 1973 landmark ruling that guarantees abortion rights could be struck down by the Supreme Court. If the move passes, then abortion could instantly become illegal again in 22 countries due to trigger laws.

The nine sitting Supreme Court Justices are not expected to issue a ruling until early July.