No, those steamy images aren’t photo-shopped. DaVida Sal chose a startling fashion to ask, “just why are we wearing these masks anyway?” The internet quickly exploded in social media outrage over her protest. How dare she “waste medical supplies that way?”
Her images got everyone’s attention
It wasn’t an ordinary trip to the grocery store for DaVida Sal this weekend. She wanted to make a graphic visual statement. The organic health food types at her local Trader Joe’s in Los Angeles weren’t ready to get that far back to the basics. She conscientiously wore a mask. More than one. They were strategically placed, but not a single one was over her mouth and nose. The young exhibitionist is also a professional photographer and wanted to use her images to make a statement. They certainly got attention.
She calls it “The New Abnormal.” On Facebook she posted, “If the MASKS work, WHY the 6 feet? If the 6 feet works, WHY the Masks? If BOTH work, WHY the LOCKDOWN?” She has a point. She also knows most people will agree with that statement and go back to looking at their phone. She wanted more of a response than that, so she stripped mostly bare and got an associate to bring a good camera.
Once they gave the shoppers something to talk about, she went back to her studio and posted the photos. “Please share your thoughts about the meaning of these images, what are they representing for you.” DaVida wants “to hear from all of you.” She just might. Knowing how controversial her photo-protest could be, she noted, “Now more than ever we must express ourselves with the brilliance we were created to be.”
The post went more viral than Covid-19
It didn’t take long for the images to spread faster than the Covid-19 virus itself. They jumped from user to user on Facebook and Instagram and quickly infected Twitter. Lot’s of people accused her of being “attention-hungry.” Which means they don’t look that good naked themselves. “People, where I live, are dying,” one offended user tweeted. “Protecting the most vulnerable people in our population is the right thing to do. Wearing a mask is not difficult.”
Others were offended at her waste of a good mask, rather than the nudity. “What a waste of perfectly good masks,” A doctor posted. Another typed, “one of those can never be used again.”
There is a huge debate raging in our country right now over how effective masks are. Especially considering that all the data we relied on turned out to be wrong. The Wuhan Flu will most likely be with us from now on. Masks may work for a few weeks but in the long run, the virus will get everyone.
She’s not the only photographer to disrespect the sanctity of personal protective equipment. On Instagram, there seems to be so many it’s “turning much-needed medical masks into BIKINIS in wasteful trend.”
LATEST NEWS: 'Covidiot' influencers are slammed on Instagram for turning much-needed medical masks into BIKINIS in wasteful trend – as so many healthcare workers struggle to find any protective gear. The shocking trend comes amid a global shortage of protective personal equipment pic.twitter.com/SgRayXySs3
— Dave Vescio (@DaveVescio) April 4, 2020
Whether you believe that masks are or aren’t the right idea, nobody can dispute that this American small business owner has a great grasp of how capitalism works and as far as marketing goes, the only way she could have gained more attention with her irreverent images is if she took off her clothes at Area 51 and did a “Naruto run” through the front gates.