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Greenfield lesbian bar faces boycott and threats after easing mask mandate

Last Ditch Bar's move to mask-optional Saturdays, meant to shore up finances, triggered accusations of ableism, an apology that backfired, and calls for a boycott.

newest coverage 10h agosummary written 18h ago18 pieces12k likes & upvotes1.6k comments NewswiresMastodonHacker NewsBlueskyXGoogle News

What to know

  • Last Ditch Bar, a financially struggling lesbian venue in Greenfield, Mass., made Saturdays mask-optional after requiring KN-95 masks since opening, to boost revenue.
  • The change drew 442+ comments, many accusing the bar of ableism and eugenics, with some wishing the venue violence and calling for a boycott.
  • An apology meant to defuse the backlash instead intensified it after critics noted the Instagram post lacked accessibility alt-text.
  • The boycott has left the bar sparsely attended on Saturdays, deepening financial troubles that already had a co-founder living in her truck and carrying a $50,000 loan.

The dispute Whether a financially struggling bar's decision to ease masking to survive is a pragmatic necessity or an ableist betrayal of the immunocompromised community it built its reputation serving. · positions read across 2 posts and comments

most voices

Relaxing the mask mandate is ableist, even eugenicist, and endangers immunocompromised people who rely on the space.

some voices

Even the bar's apology failed disabled patrons by being posted without accessible alt-text, showing continued lack of care.

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

    Instagram commenter · Instagram (via Boston Globe) ↗

“people like you kill disabled people in the name of your own leisure and convenience”

Instagram commenter, Social media commenter · Instagram (via Boston Globe) ↗ · Aug 30

Jackie Matellian Co-founder, remaining owner of Last DitchAsa Rosario Co-founder and drag performer at Last DitchLast Ditch Bar and Arts Venue Lesbian bar and arts venue in Greenfield, Massachusetts

Greenfield lesbian bar faces boycott and threats after easing mask mandate
Fox News

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

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8 AM4 PMtoday8 AM4 PMnow · 10:27 PM ET
  1. 2

    Fox News amplifies the backlash to a national audience

    Fox News picked up the Boston Globe reporting, highlighting the boycott, the ableism accusations, and violent comments directed at the venue, framing it for a national conservative-leaning audience.

    “A lesbian bar in Greenfield, Massachusetts, sparked community backlash after lifting its mask mandate for one night a week.”
    — Fox News

    • A lesbian bar in Greenfield eased its stringent mask mandate, a decision that has splintered the queer community in the city and beyond.

      @BostonGlobeX1d ago12k▲view on X ↗
    1 more of the top 2 · 2 posts in this stretch
    • tylerhuckabee.bsky.social

      well they removed the mask mandate down at the lesbian bar last night

      tylerhuckabee.bsky.socialBluesky11h ago87▲view on Bluesky ↗
    all of them →
  2. 1

    Boston Globe details the bar's financial struggles and boycott fallout

    A Boston Globe feature reported the bar has been sparsely attended on Saturdays amid calls for a boycott, and that co-founder Jackie Matellian had lived in her truck for six months while working four jobs and carrying a $50,000 loan to keep the venue open.

    “It is with love we inform our immunocompromised disabled divas we will be opening Saturday nights as mask optional…”
    — Last Ditch Bar and Arts Venue, Bar management · source
  3. background

    Apology backfires over missing accessibility alt-text — The apology, posted as an Instagram card without alt-text for visually impaired users, triggered a fresh round of accusations that the bar was failing disabled patrons.

  4. background

    Last Ditch posts an apology for the policy change — Two days after the initial announcement, the bar's management posted an Instagram apology for the 'passive and dismissive tone' of the change, saying they were working to consider all needs.

  5. background

    Commenters accuse the bar of ableism and wish it violence — The Instagram thread grew to 442 comments, many furious, accusing the owners of being ableist or eugenicist for relaxing the mask policy despite Greenfield having reported no COVID cases in over two months.

  6. background

    Last Ditch announces mask-optional Saturdays on Instagram — The Greenfield lesbian bar posted an 'UPDATES!' announcement saying it would open Saturday nights as mask-optional, ending its previous requirement that patrons wear a well-fitted KN-95 mask 'or better' at all times.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 4 outlets Massachusetts lesbian bar faces boycott after lifting face mask rule

    first by PinkNews, 1d ago · also NY Post, New York Post, Fox News

    2 more headlines
  2. 1 outlet Backlash Hits Lesbian Bar that Relaxed Mask Mandate 5 Years After COVID

    first by Breitbart, 1d ago

    1 more headline

and 5 smaller pieces

What people are saying 0 voices from 0 sites · best of 2 · verbatim

Still unanswered
  • Does Greenfield's lack of reported COVID cases in over two months justify relaxing the mask policy?
  • Can Last Ditch survive financially given the boycott and reduced Saturday attendance?