Lesbian Bar’s New Mask Policy Has Sparked Major Backlash
Vocal critics have hijacked conversations and berated staff.
A lesbian bar in Massachusetts is facing backlash after lifting its ongoing mask mandate for one night a week.
At the end of August, Last Ditch Bar posted a series of updates to its Instagram page, including notes on co-ownership, a monthly volunteer meetup, and trialing new themed dance party events. One of the announcements also focused on a change to the bar’s longstanding mask mandate.
“It is with love we inform our immunocompromised disabled divas we will be opening Saturday nights as mask optional to try out typical club nights with themes/hosts/DJs/full capacity,” they wrote. “We still give priority to public and private Masked bookings, and continue a recurring monthly Masked Social prioritizing safety.”
They also noted that the change was made in response to “an outpour of of feedback from our regulars, volunteers, and team.”
The comments on the post itself were a mixed bag, with some people expressing delight at the change and a hope that it will bring in more business, while others blasted the bar for seemingly betraying their masked patrons.
“It’s upsetting and feels like pandering to have a mask free night,” one person wrote. “If people need mask free spaces or mask breaks you can step outside to do so. Last Ditch was a safe haven for a lot of immunocompromised folks.”
“I know there’s so many people who want mask mandate but every time I’ve gone to the last ditch there’s not many people there,” another countered. “At the end of the day, a space like this can’t exist if people don’t show up.”
According to the Boston Globe, an attempt to diffuse the situation at a community meeting in mid-September failed miserably, as critics hijacked the Zoom and lobbed further complaints at the group for having a white therapist present to mediate. Jackie Matellian, the only one of three original co-owners still involved with the day-to-day operations explained the financial lengths she’s gone to in order to keep Last Ditch afloat at her own expense, but pro-mask critics reportedly only further faulted her for allegedly centering her own feelings.
Although there’s been a slight resurgence in lesbian bars in recent years, there are still very few across the country. No bar can be everything to everyone, but it’s unclear what, exactly, Last Ditch might be able to do to keep the party going with so much discord among its community.
