Boston's Masking Lesbians and 'Palestinian Rachel Dolezal' Wear Same Costume
Two viral stories suggest that when politics becomes identity, conviction can start to look remarkably like dress-up.
Two recent incidents have captured America's attention this week, echoing each other's absurdity. The first involves Last Ditch Bar and Arts Venue in Greenfield, Massachusetts, a lesbian bar that saw its KN-95 mask mandate relaxed, sparking accusations of ableism, racism, and complicity in a "mass disabling event." The bar's owner, struggling financially, wanted to make Saturdays mask-optional, a decision that was met with outrage from commenters who wished the venue would be firebombed.
The ensuing community meeting lasted three and a half hours, filled with mediators, Zoom participants, and heated arguments over the safety of a licensed therapist's presence. In Philadelphia, activist and teacher Hannah Gann admitted that she has no Palestinian or Tunisian ancestry, after fellow activists investigated her claims about her background.
Gann, who identified as Palestinian American and at times even as Black, was nicknamed "the Palestinian Rachel Dolezal" after the controversial white woman who falsely claimed to be Black and African American during her tenure as president of the Spokane NAACP in 2015. The common thread connecting these two stories is the conversion of belief into costume, with each individual creating a visible symbol to demonstrate their allegiance or support.
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