The Villain Unmasked: COVID-19 and the Necropolitics of the Anti-Mask Movement

Authors

  • Jordan Grunawalt

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18061/dsq.v41i3.8343

Keywords:

Necropolitics, COVID-19, Anti-Mask

Abstract

Despite over 2 million deaths from COVID-19, the Anti-Mask movement has grown in Conservative spaces. This article takes a closer look at the breadth of the Anti-Mask movement, unpacking specific signs, cards, and anthems. I explore the necropolitical implications of their rhetoric, critiquing the ways American Conservative leadership, through the megaphone of the Trump administration, Senator Cruz, and Governor Kemp, facilitate this rhetoric. I aim to contextualize their rationale and explore how the rhetoric surrounding refusing to wear a mask ultimately leaves us with the harsh reality that they, and the politicians who support them, prioritize individual comfort over protecting vulnerable lives.

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Published

2021-09-13

How to Cite

Grunawalt, J. (2021). The Villain Unmasked: COVID-19 and the Necropolitics of the Anti-Mask Movement. Disability Studies Quarterly, 41(3). https://doi.org/10.18061/dsq.v41i3.8343