Mona's hilarious response to its Ladies Lounge being banned for 'male discrimination'.

Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) lost a legal battle in April, forcing it to allow men entry into its single-sex  'Ladies Lounge' art installation. 

The museum's curators chose to respond by metaphorically 'sticking their tongue out' at lawmakers.  

It all started when a male patron, New South Wales man Jason Lau, took legal action against Mona and claimed that his denied entry into the lounge constituted discrimination. The judge sided with him. 

The judgment, handed down by the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal earlier in the year, found Mona was in contravention of the state's Anti-Discrimination Act and ordered Mona to allow men to access within 28 days.

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A post shared by Kirsha Kaechele (@kirshakaechele)

However, museum curators found a loophole. 

They had an opportunity to do the funniest thing, and they did. 

American artist, Mona curator and creator of the Ladies Lounge installation, Kirsha Kaechele, has moved the artworks decorating the walls of the Ladies Lounge into a newly-designated women's-only bathroom. 

Previously, Mona had unisex bathrooms, but now the priceless Pablo Picasso artworks are sequestered in a single-sex loo.

"We never had female toilets at Mona before, they were all unisex," Kaechele shared on Instagram. "But then the Ladies Lounge had to close thanks to a lawsuit brought on by a man and I just didn’t know what to do with all those Picassos."

Kirsha is currently working to reopen the Ladies Lounge by leveraging section 26 of the state's Anti-Discrimination Act, which outlines permissible instances of discrimination, such as single-sex schools.

Why did the Ladies Lounge cause such an uproar?

The Ladies Lounge, which opened in 2020, is a space in the museum designed for those who identify as women, where they can feel safe and enjoy a selection of artwork on display.

It's purposely meant to be exclusionary to cis men. The lounge is protest artwork, with its mission being to offer a safe space to a disadvantaged group.

And there's no denying that women are disadvantaged, and often too, unsafe. The decision comes amid a seriously terrifying time for women.

44 Australian women have allegedly died by violence this year. 

Just last week, we heard of Natalie Frahm's murder. The 34-year-old mother had her whole life ahead of her. Yet she was shot, while in her car, on her own driveway in front of two young children. A male is facing charges for her murder. 

Australian women are 'on edge', afraid to be alone in schools, in the gym or at home. 

Violence towards women is widespread across this country — it doesn't matter your age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status or where you live. Even while this Mona case was playing out, 39-year-old Alison Robinson was found deceased following a deliberately lit fire at her home in Glenorchy, Tasmania. A male has been charged with her murder.

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A post shared by Museum of Old and New Art (@monamuseum)

Then there is the issue of all the places women have been excluded from throughout the centuries.

Kirsha argued as part of the court case that the Ladies Lounge was "a response to the lived experiences of women forbidden from entering certain spaces throughout history."

Up until around 1965, women in Australia couldn't stand at the bar in a pub and have a drink. It was strictly men only. For centuries men have had access to men's only lounges, which are most commonly called 'Gentlemen's Clubs.' Australia is still home to at least 25 Gentlemen's Clubs. 

These are just two examples of misogyny playing out in public spaces, denying women the right to be considered equals.

Kaechele told the ABC, "TASCAT took too narrow a view in terms of women's historical and ongoing societal disadvantage and did not recognise how the experience of the Ladies Lounge can promote equal opportunity."

"Ladies love the Lounge — a space away from men — and given what we have been through for the last several millennia, we need it. We deserve both equal rights and reparations, in the form of unequal rights, or chivalry — for at least 300 years," she added. 

Well said.

Mona had indicated that if a court ordered them to allow men access — which the court now has — then it would remove the Ladies Lounge completely in protest.

It seems they've come to an alternate decision in the meantime. 

And forgive us, but we had a little giggle. See you in the loos, ladies.

This story was originally published on April 10, 2024, and has since been updated with new information.

If this has raised any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service.

Mamamia is a charity partner of RizeUp Australia, a national organisation that helps women, children and families move on after the devastation of domestic and family violence. Their mission is to deliver life-changing and practical support to these families when they need it most. If you would like to support their mission you can donate here. 

Feature Image: Instagram @kirshakaechele.