While speaking at the World Conference of Science Journalists in Seoul, South Korea, biochemist Tim Hunt said that scientists should work in gender-separated labs. Uh-huh.
His “argument” began as they always do:
“Let me tell you about my trouble with girls.”
Oh boy. DO TELL.
“Three things happen when they are in the lab…You fall in love with them, they fall in love with you and when you criticize them, they cry.”
Hunt, a Nobel laureate, has already resigned from his position at the University College London, and apologized for his comments, saying, “I’m very sorry that what I thought were light hearted ironic remarks were taken so seriously, and I’m very sorry if people took offense. I certainly did not mean to demean women, but rather be honest about my own shortcomings.”
It was too little, too late (not to mention too dumb), and women on Twitter have responded to Hunt’s forced confession with the #DistractinglySexy hashtag. It’s great.