A Nobel prize-winning scientist has been forced to apologise for saying female colleagues “fall in love” in the workplace and “cry” when criticised.
Sir Tim Hunt, a Cambridge PhD graduate, has come under fire for telling a group of Korean scientists that women distract men from work and should be in same-sex laboratories.
“Three things happen when they are in the lab, you fall in love with them, they fall in love with you, and when you criticise them they cry,” he said.
The 72-year-old also admitted to the audience that he was a “chauvinist pig”.
When I read this yesterday I was obviously outraged (me being a woman in science and all), but today, not only did he resign, but Women in Science took twitter to have the last word under the hashtag #Distractinglysexy, and you just have to go look, it’s amazing. Here are some (see more part 2 – part 3):
@alice_culliford #distractinglysexy #womeninscience http://t.co/ZU1I5LrO1Z
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Team Neutrophil (@teamneutrophil) June 11, 2015
It's just really hard working in a coed lab because I'm too distracting to the male scientists #distractinglysexy http://t.co/9cZMUpy6TL
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Danielle Spitzer (@dspitzzz) June 11, 2015
Here I am again being #distractinglysexy in Level B PPE. Because who can't resist a girl with her own supplied air? http://t.co/uCAwdtOm6R
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Geeky Girl Engineer (@gkygirlengineer) June 11, 2015
#distractinglysexy I cried when #Ebola patients died or when got better.I have feelings & I deal w them.So should you http://t.co/XYMh7ykT5o
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Elisabetta (@RunningPostdoc) June 11, 2015
Gets hot up in here when working on UVcalibration in the clean lab. #distractinglysexy How bout them apples #TimHunt? http://t.co/zxZG4HeCfq
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Rocket Scientista (@rockstarscience) June 11, 2015
I'm really glad that Curie managed to take a break from crying to discover radium and polonium #distractinglysexy http://t.co/txYVHoidK5
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Amy Remeikis (@AmyRemeikis) June 11, 2015
Later that day, I filled this Bronze Age ditch with my womanly archaeology tears #distractinglysexy http://t.co/r8UTTCCqSg
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Becca⚡️ (@BeccaPritchy) June 11, 2015
Nothing like a sample tube full of cheetah poop to make you #distractinglysexy http://t.co/tdBTLRos4p
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Sarah Durant (@SarahMDurant) June 11, 2015
I fell in love with the microcentrifuge... typical woman in the lab. #DistractinglySexy http://t.co/JFXZPrjWgv
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Point Mutation (@Point_Mutation) June 11, 2015
Still #distractinglysexy after a full day of cell culture. Didn't even cry this time, so proud! #HeyaTimHunt http://t.co/RdAxxLJ1fY
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Lucie de Beauchamp (@lu_debeauchamp) June 11, 2015
Tears, laughter, romance, dirty dirty flotation: #archaeology makes me so hot right now #distractinglysexy http://t.co/Ke2KtDAXZi
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Lorna Richardson (@lornarichardson) June 11, 2015
Oh don't mind me. I'm just pipetting while being #distractinglysexy #TimHunt #WomenInSTEM #womeninscience http://t.co/95ywMimBno
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Meg Massa (@MegMassa) June 11, 2015
I made it through these brain dissections without falling in love or crying. Phew! #distractinglysexy #TimHunt http://t.co/q5PVkM9zCx
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Sonja Vernes (@Sonja_Vernes) June 11, 2015
Ha! Best #distractinglysexy signage ever! 😂 http://t.co/dgx097F0x4
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Cindy Renate (@CindyRenate) June 11, 2015
Well, darn it. These were the only two things I was planning on accomplishing in the lab today. #distractinglysexy http://t.co/tdK3gEzhC2
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Brandy (@brandy_v) June 11, 2015
Can't remember what this chick did b/c she was too busy flaunting herself in front of Watson&Crick #distractinglysexy http://t.co/VPs6TtlIE6
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Faye Montgomery (@fayezie) June 11, 2015
Mind you, guys in the lab were always checking out my nice rack...#distractinglysexy #TimHunt http://t.co/xT7jpL0hiE
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laura baxter (@scientist_me) June 10, 2015
Awesome compilation