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'Women Only' Art Exhibition - Wtf!?

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-19390354

At the exhibition, only work by women artists is displayed - and for the first month - only women were allowed in.

The organisers are now letting men in - but for most of the month of August they were turned away.

Sarah Wilson said: "It's kind of an experiment - it's a two-month exhibition and the first month has been solely for women - men are not allowed in.

"I don't have a police badge that means I can throw them out on the street but I wanted to create a space where women can work together with other women."

Ms Wilson explained that the entrance policy was put in place because the work on display was specific to women's experience.

She said: "A lot of the work is very personal. It's personal to the artists, it's personal to women specifically - it's just issues that men will never come across purely because of the difference between men and women.

I'm probably not as pissed off as I should be, since I know that if I decided to open a 'men-only' exhibition I would probably be castrated by a ravenous group of feminists labelling me a sexist bastard. But come on! If this is not acceptable for one sex then why then hell is it acceptable for another?

I don't want to get my knickers in a twist over a petty little incident, but its one of many petty little incidents which go unnoticed. As someone mentioned in another thread in the Society forum(http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2060588&page=17&p=39271788#post39271788), misandry is a cultural norm which is socially accepted - 'equality' works for everyone, it doesn't work by infringing on those of other groups. So when a blatantly sexist thing is aimed at men it should be taken to be blatantly sexist - we all know it would be if it was aimed at women.

What do you think? Am I overreacting, or is this something you'd deem sexist??

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

Joeman560

"A lot of the work is very personal. It's personal to the artists, it's personal to women specifically - it's just issues that men will never come across purely because of the difference between men and women. "

< Insert kitchen joke >

Reply 2

xiarang

Well, I'm no expert in these kinds of things, but you say:

Original post by Kiss

If this is not acceptable for one sex then why then hell is it acceptable for another?

And they say:

"There are still golf clubs that exist in 2012 where women are not allowed in - let's see if this is possible as an art exhibition."

Maybe those golf clubs are "one of many petty little incidents which go unnoticed" also. Swings and round-abouts, really. Possibly they were trying to stir up a little controversy to highlight what you are saying. At least they allow men into the exhibiton now (I would be pretty pissed if I was a male and declined entrance in the first month!).

Reply 3

POWCATTY

lol
although i do understand where they are coming from, i think its ridiculous that they turn men away. it would have been better if theyd just advertised 'women days/evenings' where its clear that women are the focus but guys are allowed in if they want, but then they should alternate that with just general entry to everyone.

its an interesting concept though...gender specific art...

edit - some aspects in modern art are about pushing the boundaries and causing controversy and this is just taking that outside the art into its surroundings, so just like a publicity stunt and creating a USP

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 4

marshymarsh

We should let men into women's toilets!

Reply 5

MacDaddi

It's only sexist when men do it.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 6

UniOfLife

Original post by Kiss

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-19390354

I'm probably not as pissed off as I should be, since I know that if I decided to open a 'men-only' exhibition I would probably be castrated by a ravenous group of feminists labelling me a sexist bastard. But come on! If this is not acceptable for one sex then why then hell is it acceptable for another?

I don't want to get my knickers in a twist over a petty little incident, but its one of many petty little incidents which go unnoticed. As someone mentioned in another thread in the Society forum(http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2060588&page=17&p=39271788#post39271788), misandry is a cultural norm which is socially accepted - 'equality' works for everyone, it doesn't work by infringing on those of other groups. So when a blatantly sexist thing is aimed at men it should be taken to be blatantly sexist - we all know it would be if it was aimed at women.

What do you think? Am I overreacting, or is this something you'd deem sexist??

I think the first statement in bold is probably true but also not applicable to the exhibition in question. The exclusion of men wasn't a blatantly sexist thing in the sense that men were excluded because men are in some way inferior. Rather, men were excluded to provide a women-only space. In that regard it is similar to swimming pools having women only times.

Reply 7

MacDaddi

Original post by AkaJetson

When you do it?

men! :P

Reply 8

Alexandra's Box

I hate the term 'positive discrimination'.
Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Reply 9

username952244

I don't really give two ****s that I'm not allowed in, I'm just annoyed because I know it would never be allowed to happen the other way around.

Reply 10

prog2djent

Distinct from genuine and honest feminists, hypocritical femtards deserve a wikipedia page, at the very least a rationalwiki page.

Reply 11

Alexandra's Box

Original post by G8D

Do you just hate the term or do you hate the procedure?

All of it is ****.

Reply 12

Darth Stewie

"I wanted to create a space where women can work together with other women."

you already have that, it's called the kitchen.

I kid but really is this any different from someone being allowed to be searched or examined by someone of the same sex during arrests/check ups because they feel uncomfortable with someone of the opposite sex? Artists tend to be a bit...oversensitive and they could view this work as very personal and private. Providing it's a privately funded exhibit they should be able to ban whoever they like. I do agree however that there is a double standard with these kind of things, if someone tried banning women from an art show they would have their ass handed to them.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 13

caravaggio2

Funny enough most of the critics were men and couldnt access it so she dipped out there. :redface:

Reply 14

Hopple

All men should boycott it, see what happens.

Reply 15

Snagprophet

I don't get this 'space where women can work together'. Do women never normally see other women or something?

Reply 16

Kiss

Original post by Alexandra's Box

I hate the term 'positive discrimination'.
Just thought I'd throw that out there.

The term or the actual thing itself?

Original post by Snagprophet

I don't get this 'space where women can work together'. Do women never normally see other women or something?

Some people seem to assume so.

Reply 17

soolo

This is fine by me, the problem starts when men can't do the same thing.

Reply 18

Alexandra's Box

Original post by Kiss

The term or the actual thing itself?

Everything about it. Name and actual thing, both are ****.

Reply 19

lbsf1

The situation is fair enough, if a private exibit only wants to let women in then I think that is ok, they arn't saying men are worse they just want a certain type of enviroment to be created (arty types tend to be like that.). However as everyone has already said the thing that is annoying is when men could not do the same thing, if I started an exibit of male orientated art and didnt allow women in then there would be an outcry.

Its the contradiction that most extreme feminists are, they want to be equal however also would want a man to stand up on a train for them.