Breast cancer is deadly serious, but raising tons of money to prevent it doesn’t have to be.
Maria Gonzalez, bartender at Tattoos & Scars, has proven that for the past two years with Tats for Tatas, the breast cancer benefit she created to raise money to provide mammograms for Key West women.
“The first year we raised $42,000; last year we raised $69,000 and this year, we’re thrilled to have joined forces with Womankind and are expecting to continue increasing the total,” said Gonzalez, who has “augmented” this year’s event, which takes place Wednesday, Oct. 9 from 7-10 p.m. at Tattoos & Scars, 512 Greene St.
Tats for Tatas will spill out from the bar into a block party along Ann Street, featuring a DJ, satellite bars, Vegas-style showgirls and a giant silent auction selection of hotel stays, fishing charters, boat trips, original artwork and more. The event will also include raffle drawings every half hour starting at 7:30 p.m., with prizes that include a new bike, two-night stays at the Southernmost Mansion and Rum Bar guesthouse and a fishing charter with Double Down Charters.
But wait, there’s more.
Inside the bar, Tats for Tatas will bring back its now-infamous “motorboating booth,” where for a $20 donation, enthusiastic breast cancer warriors can “motorboat” a willing volunteer wearing pasties.
“But we’re not sexist, so the final volunteer in the booth will be a guy being motorboated,” Gonzalez said, laughing.
“And this year, I’m excited that Womankind will have a booth where women can sign up for and schedule their free mammograms, which is truly what this whole event is about.”
Tattoos & Scars owner Casey Vinall will donate all proceeds from drink sales between 7 and 10 p.m. to Womankind for the mammograms, along with proceeds from the sale of the bar’s Boobie Koozies and event t-shirts.
In addition, Kirby Myers, owner of Kirby’s Closet, is donating 15% of the proceeds of the “boob shirts” she sells by Never Fully Dressed to the same cause.
And again, while breast cancer is no laughing matter, the event that inspired Tats for Tatas was pretty funny — but only now, in hindsight.
It all started when Gonzalez was arrested during Christmas week in December 2021.
“It was a super busy week and I was leaving work at Tats, riding my bike down Ann Street at 2 a.m.,” she recalled. “A girlfriend of mine leaned out of the bar to wave, and I flashed her for a split second — one boob.
“A cop saw me. I got arrested for indecent exposure and resisting arrest and spent 18 hours in jail,” she said. “It was crazy, and people got really upset when they heard what had happened. They started giving me money to pay for my bail, lawyers, legal defense, or whatever. I couldn’t believe it,” said Gonzalez, who later got the charges expunged from her record.
But she wanted to pass on everyone’s donations to a good cause and Womankind fit the bill perfectly, as all the money it raises stays in the community and helps local women.
Tats for Tatas was born — and grows every year — to provide free mammograms to local women.
Tats for Tatas takes place Wednesday, Oct. 9 at Tattoos & Scars, 512 Greene St., and outside on Ann Street.
