Irony or misogyny: Exhibition showcasing discrimination against women, 'discriminates' against men

An Australian museum is being forced to open the doors of its women-only exhibition on misogyny to men after a disgruntled man complained that it was "discriminatory" to his gender.

Open exhibition to people who do not identify as ladies

The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Tasmania has now been ordered to open up the exhibition to "persons who do not identify as ladies" within 28 days.

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This ruling was passed by the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Tuesday (Apr 9).

The women's only exhibition

Artist and museum curator Kirsha Kaechele has come up with an experimental artwork exhibition that as per CNN is being billed by the museum as a "tremendously lavish space" where women can indulge in "decadent nibbles, fancy tipples, and other ladylike pleasures — hosted and entertained by the fabulous butler."

Last year, in April, Jason Lau, a New South Wales man visiting the museum, was barred from entering the women only exhibit.

Lau, who paid the $35 AUD or $23 USD museum entry fee, as per the tribunal documents, believed he was subjected to direct gender discrimination.

"He felt strongly enough about this to file a complaint with Equal Opportunities Tasmania," read the notes.

However, the curator Kaechele, during the court proceedings, said that denying men entry to the "mysterious" exhibition was part of the art and its allure. She said that it was to give men a taste of the discrimination and exclusion women have faced throughout history.

She added that she believed women "deserve both equal rights and special privileges in the form of unequal rights," as restitution for historical injustices, "for a minimum of 300 years."

Intentional exclusion

The tribunal acknowledged that it recognises that the art exhibition had "a pointedly participatory component that is intentionally discriminatory, for a good faith artistic purpose that many might not only appreciate but sympathise with or endorse."

However, it said that it was against Australia's 1998 anti-discrimination act.

The act "does not permit discrimination for good faith artistic purpose per se," said the Tribunal.

In her statement to the tribunal, Kaechele said, "We are so deeply embedded in the dominion of man that we do not even see the myriad ways in which we adhere to and multiply his reign."

The Ladies Lounge was needed as "a peaceful space women can retreat to; a haven in which to think clearly, and relish the pure company of women — to escape the invisible story woven through history," she added.

Rejecting the tribunal's requirement of opening exhibition to men, she said, "that's not happening". The museum, too, has reacted to the verdict by posting an explicit response on Instagram.

(With inputs from agencies)