Jackie Matellian, sole remaining owner of the Last Ditch Bar in Greenfield, Massachusetts, has faced fierce online backlash, including accusations of “eugenics” and “ableism,” after announcing that face masks would become optional on Saturday nights, a decision she has attributed to the venue’s worsening financial position.
The Last Ditch Bar, a small venue in Greenfield, Massachusetts, that caters primarily to lesbian patrons, has become the subject of a viral controversy after announcing it would make Saturday nights “mask optional.” The decision, announced by owner Jackie Matellian, prompted accusations from some commenters that the bar was abandoning immunocompromised and disabled customers, with terms such as “eugenicist” and “ableist” used in the backlash. According to the Boston Globe, which first reported the story, the initial social media post about the controversy has since been viewed more than 30 million times, drawing commentary from figures across the political spectrum, including Republican Texas Senator Ted Cruz, as well as coverage from The Guardian, Fox News and the New York Post.
Mask policy change announced amid financial pressure
According to the Boston Globe, the Last Ditch announced the change to its mask policy in an Instagram post on 31 August, informing its 11,300 followers: “It is with love we inform our immunocompromised disabled divas we will be opening Saturday nights as ‘mask optional’… Our mission is to also make the space work for everyone and everything radical, sometimes that’s being wild!”
The announcement generated approximately 442 comments, with a significant number of users criticising the decision as a betrayal of the bar’s stated commitment to accessibility. One commenter reportedly suggested the venue should be firebombed, illustrating the intensity of the response the post generated.
According to reports, the decision was not framed by Matellian as an ideological shift but as a response to serious financial difficulties facing the business. The venue had reportedly fallen behind on payments to staff and owners, with its landlord said to be pursuing roughly $3,900 in unpaid rent, and the business also carrying a reported $50,000 loan.
Bar’s ownership has changed since opening
Last Ditch was originally founded by three people, but Matellian is now understood to be the only founder still involved in the bar’s day-to-day operations, with the other two having stepped back from the business months earlier. One of the original founders is reported to have since enrolled in clown school.
Apology sparks further criticism
Two days after the initial announcement, Last Ditch issued an apology acknowledging that the wording of its original post had come across as dismissive toward disabled and immunocompromised customers. However, the apology itself became a further point of contention after users noted that the accompanying Instagram post lacked alt-text, which some argued made the apology inaccessible to visually impaired followers.
A community meeting held on 11 September to address the dispute reportedly failed to resolve the disagreement, becoming highly emotional, with some attendees calling for changes to the bar’s leadership. The dispute has continued online since the meeting.
Mask-optional nights proceeded despite the row
Despite the backlash, the bar went ahead with its first mask-optional Saturday, followed by a second on 12 September. According to reports from the venue, attendance on these nights remained relatively low, with the dance floor described as largely empty for parts of the evening. Matellian herself was reportedly among those who continued to wear a mask.
Extensive venue policies
Beyond its approach to masks, Last Ditch has maintained a detailed set of “venue norms” displayed throughout the basement bar. These rules address discrimination, consent and physical contact, accessibility, and the treatment of patrons’ assistive devices. One posted rule states: “Racism, Misogynoir [racism directed towards black women], Transmisogyny, Ableism, Transphobia, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and any other discrimination will not be tolerated.” Another reads: “No one is permitted to touch anyone, in any way, without getting express, verbal consent,” a rule that extends to touching devices such as wheelchairs, canes and hearing aids. A further rule states: “Nobody will be barred from entry due to lack of funds. Poor and unhoused [sic] people are welcome in the space.” The venue also operates a small free store offering food, clothing, Narcan and fentanyl test strips.
Prior to the current mask policy change, the bar’s original rules had required all patrons to wear a “well-fitted KN-95 respirator mask (or better) at all times,” which the venue described as “safety belts for the face.” The rule specified that masks were “required when not actively taking a sip of your drink or taking a bite of a snack. Lower, sip, and lift!” Those who breached the rule risked being asked to leave, though they would first be “provided with an opportunity to engage in an accountability process.”
Previous police ban
The current controversy is not the first time the bar’s policies have attracted attention. Last September, Last Ditch announced that law enforcement officers would no longer be permitted inside the venue, following an incident in which a police officer briefly entered the bar while pursuing two suspects in a drugs case. Announcing the ban on social media, the bar stated: “We reserve the right to refuse entry and service to the pigs in all their forms,” accompanying the post with an image depicting a person throwing a Molotov cocktail.
A local dispute turned national story
What began as a disagreement within a small venue in Greenfield has since developed into a story with national reach. Following the Boston Globe’s initial report, the controversy attracted coverage and commentary from a broad range of outlets, and the newspaper subsequently published follow-up reporting examining how the dispute spread so widely and the impact it has had on the bar and its patrons.
