The Bernie Sanders mittens meme refers to a photograph of
Bernie Sanders, a
U.S. senator from
Vermont and former presidential candidate, seated during the
inauguration of Joe Biden and wearing a face mask and distinctive
mittens, which
went viral.[1] The photograph became an
internet meme, inspiring altered versions in which Sanders was placed in historical photographs and other humorous contexts. The popularity of the meme resulted in increased visibility for Sanders and demand for the mittens.
Background
When the
inauguration of Joe Biden occurred on January 20, 2021, a photograph of
Vermont senator and former presidential candidate
Bernie Sanders was taken by
Agence France-Presse photographer Brendan Smialowski.[2] It depicts a
masked Sanders sitting on a folding chair, spaced apart from other attendees. He is wearing winter clothing, most noticeably a large, fluffy pair of
mittens, which were made by Vermont elementary school teacher Jen Ellis.[1] The photograph became a popular internet meme.[3][4][5]
Memes and merchandise
The photograph led to a number of edited and altered versions, in which Sanders was placed into various popular and historical photographs, in a manner similar to that used in the
tourist guy meme,[6] including into scenes from Batman, Star Trek and Wayne's World. A website was created to allow the picture of Sanders to be placed into any
Google Street View photograph.[7] Subsequently,
merchandise was manufactured using the photo; this included plates, T-shirts, stickers, and wine glasses.[8] Sanders responded good-naturedly to the meme and its various derivatives,[9] and he decided to sell sweatshirts featuring the photograph to raise money for charity;[10] the proceeds amounted to at least $1.8 million.[11]
As a result of the meme, Ellis received thousands of requests for the mittens;[12] although she had stopped regularly making mittens, she took advantage of the publicity to make three pairs to be auctioned for charity and her daughter's college fund.[12] Ellis has collaborated with
Darn Tough Socks to produce a range of socks with the same pattern as the mittens, the proceeds of which will go towards
food banks in Vermont.[8][13] Knitting writer Kate Atherley welcomed the interest in mittens resulting from the meme and in an article in The Guardian gave details on how to create a similar pair of mittens.[14] The
Burton Snowboards jacket worn by Sanders has also increased its popularity, leading to the company donating 50 of them to the
Burlington Department for Children and Families.[8]