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Massachusetts lesbian bar faces boycott over dropped mask mandate one day a week
Fox News • • business
Key Points:
- Last Ditch Bar and Arts Venue in Greenfield, Massachusetts, faced community backlash after lifting its mask mandate on Saturdays to boost struggling business, with critics accusing the bar of ableism and putting disabled patrons at risk.
- The bar’s mask policy had been designed to protect immunocompromised individuals, but the change sparked harsh social media criticism, boycott calls, and accusations comparing the decision to a "mass disabling event" and "eugenicist" attacks.
- Despite the federal end of the COVID-19 pandemic and no recent local cases, the bar's financial difficulties, including unpaid bills and owner hardship, motivated the mask mandate change to attract more customers.
- Attempts to apologize and address concerns, including a community meeting with a white therapist mediator, were met with further criticism over accessibility issues, allegations of racism, and feelings of unsafety among attendees.
- The mask-optional Saturdays have not improved business, with low attendance persisting despite promotions, highlighting the ongoing tension between health safety concerns and economic survival for the bar.
