No thank you," reads one of the last Google reviews for the Last Ditch Bar and Arts Venue in Greenfield, Massachusetts. The lesbian bar at the center of an uproar over their policy on face masks has had their Google online reviews shut down as everyone from internet sleuths to Senator Ted Cruz weigh in on the situation. Since opening in 2025, the bar has asked visitors to wear a KN-95 respirator mask "or better" during their entire visit, a policy designed to accommodate the immunocompromised and COVID-conscious.
Controversy began on August 31 when the small local bar posted a seemingly innocuous update, in which they mentioned that they would open up Saturday nights at the venue as mask-optional to "to try out typical club nights with themes/hosts/DJs/full capacity." But the decision was not popular with patrons as the Instagram post was flooded more than 400 comments. "We’ve decided to show how much we love our immunocompromised divas by sending them to the hospital to make more money," one disappointed commenter said. Another said their dream of visiting the bar had been "shattered" by the decision to remove the mask mandate one night a week.
The issue quickly spread beyond the local LGBTQ+ community, prompting responses from lawmakers. "Leftism is a mental disease. If you doubt that, read below," Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz posted Wednesday on X, referring to a post about the hostile response to the change in the bar's face mask policy.
Republican Texas State Representative Mitch Little also weighed in saying: "There are parts of the country that live in a different reality tunnel than us." As the story has continued to spread, so too has the outrage. The bar has removed commenting on their social media platforms, and now online some reviews have been shut down. Google Reviews reads: "Posting is currently turned off due to a spike in spam reviews." However, reviews on Yelp continue to pour in from people around the world who have read their story in recent days.
"Was hoping to get a drink, but must have went into a teleporter to 2020... everyone was wearing masks. Weird," read a review from a user based in California. However, another Yelp review said: "These people have created the best online discourse of the year." Newsweek reached out to Last Ditch via email for comment.
The argument about Last Ditch’s removal of the mask mandate came to a head on September 11 when the bar held what was named an "accountability session." Over the course of three hours the bar’s owner Jackie Matellian, volunteers, bar patrons and a designated mediator to facilitate the conversation got together in person and on Zoom to discuss the decision. It was here that one of the most vocal critics of the decision to lift the mask mandate stepped in. Soe Noire describes himself on his website as a "Nigerian multidisciplinary artist, community organizer, and filmmaker." During the meeting, Noire made his feelings clear.
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