The first Saturday without masks at a Massachusetts lesbian bar took a tumultuous turn after the last owner expressed concerns about the venue being “infiltrated.”
Last Ditch Bar in Greenfield stirred controversy last month when it informed its “immunocompromised disabled divas” that it would implement a mask-free policy for one night a week, an attempt to draw in more customers six years post-COVID.
Over a dozen attendees arrived around 7 p.m. for a “goth night,” featuring underground DJs “Hannibal Directive” and “Puppy Synthesis,” only to be turned away, as staff were holding a surprise emergency meeting. Many were not aware of the theme change.
When the crowd returned, nearly 100 people eager to enter learned from the struggling bar that due to unspecified “safety breaches,” the anticipated mask-free event had become a private gathering. They were told to show they knew someone inside to gain entry.
Additionally, attendees had to surrender their ID to staff as a so-called “security measure,” which they could only retrieve when leaving.
Despite the backlash from those labeling the mask-free decision a “mass disabling event” and a “eugenicist” attack, fewer than ten patrons chose to wear masks that night.
“It just feels off-putting,” shared Pete, 43, from nearby Northampton, known as “Lesbianville, USA.”
Patricia Sonaike, a 24-year-old UMass Amherst junior from Houston and part of the LGBTQ+ community, expressed her hopes of finding a more inclusive atmosphere on Saturdays.
“In my humblest of opinions, the moral grandstanding that is happening right now will affect the longevity of these queer and BIPOC spaces,” she commented.
The crowd danced on a black-and-white checkered floor, illuminated by neon lights and accompanied by anime projections. In what might feel ironic given the current situation, the bar’s fluorescent lavender exterior sign still reads “Last Ditch,” while a reminder on the door advises customers to wear masks as if they were seatbelts.
Inside, the bar possesses a dual identity, with pamphlets detailing “How to Take a Rapid Antigen Test” alongside messaging like “What is Queer Liberation?” and an N-95 mask giveaway area. Regular events, such as monthly masked socials with virtual participation, still exist.
Opened last year, Last Ditch initially required patrons to wear N-95 masks — or better — at all times.
The announcement of loosening the mask rules triggered intense reactions from the local queer community. Some users online bluntly labeled the bar as complicit in a “mass disabling event.” One commenter exclaimed, “People like you kill disabled people in the name of your own leisure and convenience.”
Last Ditch was founded by three housemates in their mid-20s, though two have since left, including one who dropped out for clown school.
Jackie Matellian, the last remaining owner, became emotional during a recent meeting where she apologized for the mask decision and discussed the bar’s financial struggles. Left managing a $50,000 loan from the venture, she revealed that she had been living in her car for six months.
“It was not my passion project,” Matellian, 26, admitted. “I never really wanted to do this…. I don’t think I’m doing a very good job.”
