The Ladies Lounge

Now Welcoming Men

The Déjà Digest
April 10, 2024

Background: At Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), an emerald-draped cube known as the "Ladies Lounge" presents an immersive art experience. There’s silk walls, opulent gold accents, and an extravagant chandelier. The exhibit, which opened in 2020, was designed to critique historic misogyny by recreating an old Australian pub environment—a space traditionally exclusive to men—and turning it on its head to exclusively welcome women.

But recently a court ruled that the gals have to let the guys in. New South Wales resident Jason Lau challenged the women-only policy, claiming it violates Tasmania's Anti-Discrimination Act. The museum defended its approach, claiming the exclusion was part of the artistic narrative intended to spotlight historical gender inequities.

However, Judge Richard Grueber ruled against the museum, stating that the intended artistic message did not justify the exclusion of men from the exhibit. This decision, hailed as a significant precedent in the interpretation of anti-discrimination laws within artistic spaces, will take effect in 28 days, mandating the exhibit to open its doors to all visitors regardless of gender.

Deja Vu: Stepping into McSorley's Old Ale House is like walking into a sepia-toned photograph where the beer flows as freely as the tales of yore. Established in 1854, this East Village tavern is a venerable institution, known for its sawdust-covered floors and a strict men-only policy that lasted until 1970.

The decision to serve women came not from a sudden enlightenment but from a lawsuit. Faith Seidenberg and Karen DeCrow challenged the alehouse’s men-only rule, marking a frothy head on the long pint of gender equality struggles.

The legal challenge to McSorley’s male-only policy wasn't just a skirmish over bar stools. It mirrored a broader societal shift toward gender equality, echoing the earlier, rowdier fights for women's suffrage. Just as suffragettes picketed the White House a half-century earlier, Seidenberg and DeCrow stood against a bastion of male exclusivity. Their victory was not just about accessing a pub but redefining public spaces as inclusive rather than exclusive.

Men may be from Mars, and Women may be from Venus, but if these two events are any indication, they’ve gotta share Earth.

Fact

Before the 1970 lawsuit, McSorley's motto was “Good Ale, Raw Onions, and No Ladies.”

Quote

"Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less." - Susan B. Anthony

Profile: John Sloan

John Sloan, a prominent member of the Ashcan School of American art, is renowned for his realistic paintings of urban life in New York City in the early 20th century. His works often depict the lively, gritty, and unembellished reality of everyday scenes. Sloan's series of paintings featuring McSorley’s Old Ale House provides a vivid glimpse into the character and ambiance of this historic bar.

John Sloan was born in 1871 in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, and moved to New York City in 1904, where he became deeply influenced by the vibrancy and chaos of urban life.

Sloan's fascination with McSorley’s began shortly after his move to New York. Between 1912 and 1930, he created several paintings of the interior of McSorley’s.

"McSorley's Bar" (1912): Perhaps his most famous painting, this work shows a typical, crowded day with patrons drinking and interacting. The composition is tightly packed, emphasizing the closeness of the social interactions in the bar.

Number: 16 years

In 1986, 16 years after it first served women, McSorley’s added a women’s restroom.

List: Battle of the Sexes

Commonwealth v. Welosky (1931) - This Massachusetts case upheld a law that banned women from being bartenders unless they were the wife or daughter of the bar owner, reflecting gender-based occupational segregation laws. The law was later challenged and changed.
National Organization for Women v. Little League Baseball, Inc. (1974) - This lawsuit led to Little League Baseball allowing girls to play, after the New Jersey Superior Court ruled that excluding girls was illegal under state civil rights law.
Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan (1982) - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Mississippi University for Women's policy of only admitting women to its nursing program was unconstitutional, as it perpetuated stereotypical views of nursing as an exclusively female profession.
Roberts v. United States Jaycees (1984) - This case addressed gender discrimination in membership policies of organizations, with the Supreme Court ruling that the Jaycees could not exclude women from full membership on the basis of gender.