The Ladies Lounge exhibition at the Museum of Old and New Art on the island of Tasmania was exclusively intended for women. But after a male resident of the island filed a lawsuit alleging sex discrimination, a judge decided that the separation of the sexes was indeed against the law: the Ladies Lounge must now also grant interested men access.
Disadvantaged social position
Since then, the curator has closed the exhibition space completely in protest. When it is open, the visiting women are served by male butlers, ‘who live to serve’ and replenish the glasses with champagne. It is an indictment of ‘male domination in the world’.
The museum believes that the verdict shows ‘an overly narrow view of the historical and continuing disadvantaged social position of women’. The judge is said to have ignored the function that the Ladies Lounge fulfills ‘to promote equality of opportunities’.
The artist who designed the lounge, Kirsha Kaechele, now says in an interview that she will adapt the space ‘according to legal regulations’ in order to open the space again – so only for women. Not only does she have a toilet installed, she also wants to have the space declared a church.
‘A great toilet’
“There will be a beautiful toilet in the Ladies Lounge, so it can function as a toilet room for women. It’s a great toilet and men don’t get to see it.”
According to the new plan, men are allowed to enter on Sundays. Then they can learn to iron and fold laundry. The artist called the discrimination case ‘a blessing’, because it generates attention for her emancipatory message.
By the way, the rest of the museum is open to men.
