Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) arrived at the 2021 New York Met Gala on Monday, September, 13 wearing a white dress with the words “tax the rich” written on the back. It was designed by Aurora James, the black and Hispanic founder of the shoe and accessory line Brother Vellies. The design itself was a wool jacket dress with an organza flounce and a matching bag also embroidered with “tax the rich”. After the Met Gala, AOC began receiving extreme backlash for this design from both the left and the right  Several Democratic politicians criticized AOC for performative activism, citing her dress as a  caricature of the movement to tax the rich and that has failed to promote actual change. Conservative politicians have taken to social media to critique AOC as well. Many have highlighted the hypocrisy of advocating for taxing America’s most wealthy while shaking hands with the same people. , including Donald Trump Jr. who called her a fraud for preaching about taxation “while she’s hanging out with a bunch of wealthy leftwing elites.” In response to these attacks, AOC pointed out the double standard between male and female politicians, writing that she “punctured the 4th wall of excess and spectacle” while promoting discourse about an important cause.