Last Ditch Bar and Arts Venue, a lesbian bar in Greenfield, Massachusetts, drew online backlash after announcing a mask-optional Saturday night for full-capacity club events. It previously required KN-95 masks or better throughout visits and later apologized for its tone.
Some commenters objected that the change put immunocompromised patrons at risk; one said the policy had shattered their hope of visiting. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz weighed in on X, writing, “Leftism is a mental disease.” Rep. Rosa DeLauro later posted that a group trip was canceled because no one wanted to mask.
On Instagram, the bar framed accessibility as a pillar of its mission while saying it also wanted the space to work for radical events and to be transparent about risks. In an update this month, it apologized for the “passive and dismissive tone” of its schedule change and said it was working to consider community members’ differing needs.
