Are museums consistent on sex and gender?

[lcakethereforeIam]

I just came across this article

Museums hide objects because of tribal gender rules https://share.google/1zHWAAltIzDdBgMQe

This concerns the Manchester Museum hiding away artifacts because, according to the cultures who created them, they should only be seen by men. I'm sure I've seen articles of similar censorship at other museums worldwide, possibly mentioned on other threads on MN.

Any road up, does this mean museums do know the difference between men and women? Is this the final death of the ridiculous and frankly racist tra assertions that non-European cultures didn't know what sex was until the white folk showed up to explain it, enforce it and spoil their gender fluid utopias?

Google links as above won't archive but give me a moment.

Archive link

https://archive.ph/AurDJ

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01/02/museums-hide-objects-due-to-tribal-gender-rules/

Remind me of have much use museums are again. They should give all the crap back and stop pandering to stupid.

So, if I turn up and assert that I am in fact a man, will I be allowed to view the artifacts?

Im not in favour of emptying museums and handing their contents back to the "owners". Museums should be international neutral territory, things in national museums should be regarded as belonging to the world.

Or, maybe more interesting, what if a TIM turns up in heels/skirt etc and wants to see them? Will he be told no because they’re only for men to see? What will be his response?

What even the stuff they were given, arrived because of a Treaty (a legal document),was part of an arrangement to enable an archeolocial dig, or they bought? Most of the things in museums are not loot in any shape or form (though I would like to know why no-one has demanded Venice return the 4 horses in St Marks - they very definitely are loot, they were looted).
I like museums. I am not sure I like them hiding stuff away because some people might be offended (people very unlikely to visit the museum, too).