Me Time
Mask Ditch Attempt
By now it's likely you've heard about the trials and tribulations of the lesbian bar in Greenfield, Mass whose attempt to modify its all-mask-all-the-time policy met with a firestorm of backlash. Somehow this small-town controversy was catapulted into the mainstream courtesy of an article in the Boston Globe. That was enough to ignite headlines across the range of media ideologies.
Everyone voiced their opinion, including the very members of the community (i.e., lesbians) who are the bar's intended customer base. I must admit, I even stepped into the fray with a one-sentence Facebook comment that lamented the fact that "this is why we can't have nice things."
I don't know if this bar is going to be able to stay in business, though I hope it will. Any influx of customers drawn by the controversy will likely be temporary and the bar will once again depend on the patronage of its local community. Here's hoping that the sapphics of Western Mass know the assignment and help the place thrive.
This newsletter includes some of the coverage of the issue and some perspective pieces I thought might interest you.
Sapphic Lit and Other Book Stuff
Nearly 12,000 School Book Bans Nationwide in 2025-2026—Biggest Number in a Single Year - PEN America
Sold, the Award-Winning Novel about a Teenage Trafficking Victim, Was the Top Banned Book
Resources and Tips for Fighting Book Bans - Mombian
This week marks Banned Books Week, which seems a good time to recap some things we all can do to fight book banning and censorship as they continue to run rampant. Here are my tips and resources.
The advice I wish I was given when I was starting out
3 things a decade+ of teaching has shown me about how writers actually improve
Read an Exclusive Excerpt From Melissa King’s New Memoir ‘The Girl Who Became King’ | Autostraddle
It’s a candid and very queer memoir rooted in food, family, and friendship. Chapter 17, which you can read below, takes us back to King’s baby gay days in San Francisco and how she was welcomed into a vibrant and diverse queer community in the Castro.
Ruth Novaczek on Wrongness - The Cold Magazine
“Violette Leduc first taught me that happy endings aren’t very queer”: in her 60s, Ruth Novaczek had her heart broken by a woman in her 20s.
News For A Challenging Time
Meet the LGBTQ candidates running for U.S. House, Senate
Among the candidates looking to shape that future are a large number of openly LGBTQ politicians running for federal office. All of the candidates listed below openly identify as members of the LGBTQ community and are running as Democrats, seeking seats in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
Politician offends both sides with sapphic political ad -
At first glance, the ad looks like one of the thousands of clips from films and TV shows that populate X. Two women sit on a bed in low lighting, and one sensually touches the other as soft music plays in the background. The progress pride flag hangs on a wall behind the two women, both sport colorful hair and facial piercings, and one of the two rocks a “RESIST” t-shirt and winged eyeliner. It’s clear that these two queer women about to embark on a sexual experience… right?
Not quite.
Label Policing Is Part of Lesbian History. We Should Leave It in the Past | Them
The internet discourse around King Princess is the continuation of a very old — and exhausting — phenomenon, writes Trish Bendix.
Teachers in red states are terrified to stand up for LGBTQ+ students - LGBTQ Nation
Teachers in red states that witness anti-LGBTQ+ bullying say they risk disciplinary action & community backlash for intervening.
Trump removes LGBTQ+ language from Title IX protection | Advocate.com
Cathy Renna of the National LGBTQ Task Force says the rollback weakens protections for trans students, women and girls, and students who experience sexual violence.
National LGBTQ youth suicide crisis line restored one year after Trump ended it
Following an effort led in large part by out lesbian Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, a national suicide hotline’s specialized LGBTQ youth services have resumed after the Trump administration nixed the program last year in a widely-criticized move.
A lesbian woman just made history by becoming Serbia's first acting president - LGBTQ Nation
Ana Brnabić has become acting president of Serbia, making her the first out gay woman to serve as president of an East European Balkan country. A ceremony making her president occurred on Monday at the presidential residence in central Belgrade.
Massachusetts Lesbian Bar Last Ditch Finally Responds to Its Viral Moment | Them
The bar promised “more details” in the future while issuing an urgent plea.
We need to talk about the latest lesbian bar drama: Last Ditch -
I am Black. I am a woman. I am a lesbian. I don’t make any money from running Tagg Magazine, and I’m not the only queer business owner I know who’s business is no longer profitable. From magazines, to clothing companies, to travel companies, LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs are keeping their businesses alive because we have a deep-seated desire to support our communities as much as we can. Matellain has taken this to the extreme by living in her truck so she can invest more of her funds to Last Ditch. Yet despite her personal sacrifice, the bar’s free store, retaining three mask-required days at the bar, and being the only founder to stay, Matellain’s dedication to her community, and its wellbeing, is still questioned.
Lesbian Bar Project Co-Founder: Purity Politics Could Destroy Our Remaining Spaces
I want to move as a community toward dialogue, compassionate dissent and collaboration to make our spaces better with the goal of keeping them OPEN and thriving, rather than destroying them from the inside with expectations that are arguably unattainable.
We Don’t Need a Movie About the Viral Lesbian Bar Last Ditch | Them
A movie about Last Ditch? It’s unlikely — most optioned content never sees the light of day, as THR acknowledged — but it is now, it seems, possible.
Is Lili Reinhart Adapting Lesbian Vampire Book ‘Carmilla’? | Them
Social media speculation is rampant that the star wants to make a Carmilla film.
Local rescue dog seeks Subaru-driving lesbian couple for adoption - Queerty
“He’s looking for two moms who will call him ‘our son,’ buy him an unnecessary amount of enrichment toys, have at least 14 throw blankets on the couch, and discuss his emotional needs over an oat milk latte.”
“Bonus points if there’s a Subaru in the driveway.”
Culture and Joy
11 Lesbian TV Shows And Movies Coming In October 2026 - GO Magazine
Spooky season is upon us at last! Which means snuggling up with a warm drink and some great lesbian TV and movies.
Brandi Carlile showcases new album at Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center
The evening featured a conversation with Carlile and photographer Collier Schorr, followed by an acoustic performance and an after-party at the Stonewall Inn. The event coincided with the September release of Carlile’s album, “Returning to Myself (Sad Gay Version).”
Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris Reveal They Secretly Married
The actress reveals in her new memoir that she and the former soccer star quietly tied the knot in upstate New York in summer 2025
Sophia Bush, Ashlyn Harris Open Up About Their Blended Family (Exclusive)
Bush, 44, and Harris, 40, were honored with A Sense of Home’s Vanguard Angel Award at the event, in recognition of their advocacy and commitment to creating a more inclusive, equitable and compassionate world.
COMEDY Marsha Warfield talks nostalgia, coming out and ‘It’s Raining Queens’ - Windy City Times
Unfortunately, there were a lot of women like me who were never able to come out. And a lot of people died with their identities hidden. And if I can do anything to help people not have that burden… It’s okay; I see you. And that’s not just for gay people or for Black women; it’s for everybody. It’s okay to be you.
Love Takes Center Court as Phoenix Mercury Dancers Get Engaged - GO Magazine
Phoenix Mercury Hip Hop Squad dancers Tara Otting and Alex Soto brought the love to the Mortgage Matchup Center during the Mercury’s Thursday game with a surprise halftime engagement.
Every Queer WNBA Rookie of the Year - GO Magazine
From standout rookie seasons to becoming some of the biggest names in women’s basketball, here’s a look at every queer WNBA Rookie of the Year.
Megan Rapinoe: “Everything comes to an end” -
The Hollywood Reporter announced that HBO is buying the distribution rights to Rapinoe. The documentary is a candid, personal look at the football star’s life and career.
Jordan’s New Campaign Asks a *Radical* Question: What If Greatness Isn’t Just For Men? - GO Magazine
Debuting at the Grammys, the Generational Greatness campaign rewrites a classic Jordan ad with WNBA stars, queer leads, and zero apologies.
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