Up To Date

What Made Masks Politically Polarizing

By Steve Kraske,

Chris Young, Zach Wilson

Published April 27, 2021 at 4:30 PM CDT

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Over the last year, the wearing of masks became a politicized issue in the United States.

While coronavirus vaccinations are now widely available, our country remains ideologically divided over the simplest of pandemic safety measures — masks.

The underlying issues that caused masks to become a cultural and political dividing line.

Beth Vonnahme, associate dean at UMKC, College of Arts and Sciences, associate professor of political science
Dr. Michele Gelfand, professor of psychology at the University of Maryland, cultural psychologist and author of ‘Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire the World.’

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Steve Kraske

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.

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Chris Young

Chris Young is an Assistant Producer for KCUR’s Up To Date. Contact him at chrisy@kcur.org.

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Zach Wilson

As Up To Date’s senior producer, I construct daily conversations that give our listeners context to the issues of our time. I strive to provide a platform that holds those in power accountable, while also spotlighting the voices of Kansas City’s creatives and visionaries that may otherwise go unheard. Email me at zach@kcur.org.

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