Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) has successfully won an appeal in the state’s supreme court to continue barring men from entering an installation known as the Ladies Lounge. The installation was closed in April after a complaint from a man in Sydney, who claimed that the museum had discriminated against him based on gender. However, the supreme court found that the Ladies Lounge qualified for an exemption from the state’s anti-discrimination act, as it aimed to promote equal opportunity for a group of people who are disadvantaged or have special needs.
Justice Shane Marshall stated that the Ladies Lounge was designed to highlight the lack of equal opportunity in society by providing women with a unique experience of being advantaged, rather than disadvantaged by the refusal of entry to men. The court found that the tribunal had made errors of fact and law in its decision, including mischaracterizing the purpose of the Ladies Lounge and how it intended to achieve its goals.
The decision was viewed as a victory for Mona, as they were able to continue providing a space for women to experience a rare environment of advantage. The case has been sent back to the tribunal to be reconsidered in light of the court’s ruling.
Source
Photo credit www.theguardian.com