Massachusetts Lesbian Bar Faces Backlash Over Weekly Mask Easing

Last Ditch Bar and Arts Venue, a lesbian bar in Greenfield, Massachusetts, has faced intense community backlash after suspending its mask requirement one night a week. Critics accused the struggling business of ableism and called for a boycott.

The bar recently stopped requiring masks on Saturdays in hopes of drawing more customers and increasing revenue. But the decision angered some members of the small city’s queer community, The Boston Globe reported.

Some critics said the policy change endangered disabled and immunocompromised people. Others described it as contributing to a “mass disabling event” and a “eugenicist” attack. Several commenters also directed violent threats at the establishment, according to The Boston Globe.

“I hope your venue gets firebombed for robbing my fellow immunocompromised people of their Saturday plans just to scrape extra revenue from ablists [sic],” one person wrote in response to the bar’s social media announcement.

“People like you kill disabled people in the name of your own leisure and convenience,” another commenter wrote.

“Just say you’re being complicit in a mass disabling event and get it over with,” a third person said.

“When y’all close, let the record state it was ableism + complying in advance, because that’s what it is,” another commenter wrote.

“Does COVlD not disable people on Saturday nights?” another user added. The person’s profile picture showed him wearing a mask.

The dispute comes years after the federal government declared the COVID-19 pandemic over in 2023. State and local governments, along with most businesses nationwide, had already ended mask requirements several years earlier.

Greenfield also had not reported a COVID-19 case in more than two months, according to The Boston Globe.

The controversy has coincided with weak Saturday-night attendance, which would typically be one of the bar’s busiest periods. Some unhappy customers have called for a boycott, The Boston Globe reported.

The backlash came as Last Ditch was already under financial pressure because of its unusual business model, which includes the policy: “Nobody will be barred from entry due to lack of funds.”

Last Ditch had adopted its mask mandate as part of an effort to make the venue more accessible to disabled and immunocompromised patrons. The face-covering requirement was intended to help protect people with compromised immune systems.

Under the policy, customers were expected to wear masks except while actively taking a bite of food or a sip of a drink.

The owners eventually fell behind on bills and could no longer afford to pay themselves or their staff.

Jackie Matellian, the owner still involved in the bar’s daily operations, lived in her truck for six months while working four jobs and carrying a $50,000 loan, according to The Boston Globe.

The two other owners had stepped away from day-to-day operations several months earlier. One had enrolled in clown school, while another was a drag performer who uses it/its pronouns.

Facing mounting financial problems, the bar decided to suspend its Saturday mask mandate in an effort to increase revenue and keep the business operating, The Boston Globe reported.

“It is with love we inform our immunocompromised disabled divas we will be opening Saturday nights as mask optional,” Last Ditch wrote on an August Instagram post that ignited the backlash.

The bar first attempted to ease tensions and apologize for its post, writing: “We are sorry for our passive and dismissive tone of our change to the norms and schedule impacting the most intersectional of us. We understand everyone faces different intersections and we are always working to consider all needs fully.”

But that did little to lower the temperature, as critics said Last Ditch’s post failed to include written “alt text,” a short written description of an image added to the HTML code of a webpage for visually impaired people.

“This is not an accessible post,” one person commented. “It indicates the lack of care or interest in Disability intersectionality.”

Last Ditch again sought to address the controversy during its monthly community meeting on Sept. 11, according to The Boston Globe.

Outraged attendees who joined by Zoom began flooding the chat with comments that were read aloud for the in-person group to hear.

The meeting took another twist when critics made an allegation of racism because the mediator, a licensed therapist, was white.

“A lot of people are calling for an acknowledgment of harm and I’m hearing a WHITE therapist … center[ing] the feelings of a majority white and white adjacent staff,” one person said, the newspaper reported.

Attendees also took issue with a therapist being there at all and said it made them feel “widely unsafe” since that made the woman a mandated reporter, meaning she is required by law to report known or suspected abuse.

Matellian broke down in tears when it was her turn to speak, saying she was only trying to help her friends with bar before taking over once they left and having a difficult time trying to survive financially.

Matellian has fallen behind on rent and the bar’s landlord wants $3,900 by the end of September.

“It was not my passion project,” Matellian cried while masked up. “I never really wanted this. I don’t think I’m doing a very good job.”

But the bar’s critics had no sympathy for the struggling business owner.

“You chose to use your time to spill tears and center your feelings,” one person responded. “This is incredibly racist and deflecting behavior.”

The mask-optional Saturday nights have not helped with business, as the barroom has been nearly empty each weekend despite drink deals and DJs that would attract dozens of customers in the past.

One person recently suggested having a Lady Gaga-themed party to pull in more patrons.

“Gaga is canceled,” the bartender said. “Gaga is Zionist.”