COVID-conscious Massachusetts lesbian bar sparks interest in Hollywood
A COVID-conscious lesbian bar relaxed mask rules on Saturdays (Getty Images)
A viral Boston Globe feature about a COVID-conscious lesbian bar in western Massachusetts is now attracting Hollywood interest for potential screen adaptations, according to reports.
The 22 September piece, titled “A Western Mass. lesbian bar required KN-95 masks. When it changed the rules, all hell broke loose”, was written by Annalisa Quinn and centres on Last Ditch Bar in Greenfield, Massachusetts, and the fallout after it changed its mask rules.
Insiders told The Hollywood Reporter that UTA, which represents the Globe, has been approached for possible adaptations – both documentary-based and scripted.
A spokesperson for The Boston Globe added: “This story has certainly resonated with a wide range of audiences nationally and internationally. It is now one of the most-read stories we’ve published, and has already garnered many thousands of subscriptions.”
What is going on at the Last Ditch Bar?
The Globe story, which was first broken by podcast Blocked And Reported, follows the reaction to a change in masking rules at Last Ditch Bar, which has since become a flashpoint for online debate.
In an August Instagram post, bartenders said patrons would no longer have to wear KN95 face masks on Saturday nights, addressing “immunocompromised disabled divas”. The decision drew backlash, including accusations that the bar was “complicit in a mass disabling event.”
The dispute has also played out offline. On 23 September, the bar said it was facing boycotts and online backlash that put its future at risk after making masks optional on Saturday nights, while keeping masks required on other days.
Why Hollywood is interested in adapting the story
The Hollywood Reporter said the Globe feature already had big “characters” including bar owner Jackie Matellian who is struggling with debt, and angry patrons not happy with the updated mask guidelines.
Lesbian bars have sharply declined in number across the US over recent decades, making surviving venues culturally prominent within LGBTQ+ nightlife. Queer bars often function as community hubs as well as businesses, and COVID-era safety policies have become heavily linked to some LGBTQ+ communities, especially in America.
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