Nobel laureate forced out of studies after making joke about women

[sumanoskae]

My problem with this kind of behavior is the lack of perspective. His comment may very well have been insulting or in poor taste, but the possibility that he might be kind of a dick has no effect on his quality as a scientist. To me, it demonstrates that the organization in question is more concerned with playing politics than doing their work.

Some may be quick to point out that the bad press they would receive were they not to take action could jeopardize their economic well being, but if that's the case, there is a bigger problem at work; our priorities as a society.

Are we really so immature that weather or not we happen to personally like someone or the comments they make takes prescience over their skills and qualifications when we consider them for a position?

Making a decision about someone's job on the basis that they made a single offensive statement is petty; that kind of irrational bias is the kind of thing that should get you fired.

 

[Lovely Mixture]

Making a decision about someone's job on the basis that they made a single offensive statement is petty; that kind of irrational bias is the kind of thing that should get you fired.

This.
Same shit with the Adria Richards incident.

Bottom line, being a bigot is not the same as being a minority.

Soon enough, we're gonna have people redefining bigotry to "anything I don't like to hear"

 

[ServebotFrank]

How come age never comes into any of these stories? Tim Hunt is like 72 years old.

Like I don't know why people are always ASTOUNDED that old people say something insensitive. Do they not have grandparents? Have they never talked to their grandparents and have them suddenly spout some racist/sexist shit that their parents taught them to believe back in the 50s? Like my grandparents live in Mississippi and are racists (Not hateful racists, but they do say dumb shit) and we just realize that is a normal thing.

I would more irritated if that joke was funny but it kinda wasn't. Still no reason to be fired.

 

[Secondhand Revenant]

How come age never comes into any of these stories? Tim Hunt is like 72 years old.

Like I don't know why people are always ASTOUNDED that old people say something insensitive. Do they not have grandparents? Have they never talked to their grandparents and have them suddenly spout some racist/sexist shit that their parents taught them to believe back in the 50s? Like my grandparents live in Mississippi and are racists (Not hateful racists, but they do say dumb shit) and we just realize that is a normal thing.

I would more irritated if that joke was funny but it kinda wasn't. Still no reason to be fired.

Well maybe they should learn that it's normal to get fired for being rather sexist?

Or are they the only ones that need to be accommodated?

 

[Secondhand Revenant]

How come age never comes into any of these stories? Tim Hunt is like 72 years old.

Like I don't know why people are always ASTOUNDED that old people say something insensitive. Do they not have grandparents? Have they never talked to their grandparents and have them suddenly spout some racist/sexist shit that their parents taught them to believe back in the 50s? Like my grandparents live in Mississippi and are racists (Not hateful racists, but they do say dumb shit) and we just realize that is a normal thing.

I would more irritated if that joke was funny but it kinda wasn't. Still no reason to be fired.

Well maybe they should learn that it's normal to get fired for being rather sexist?

Or are they the only ones that need to be accommodated?

No you don't understand, it's so simple. When old men complain, it is a tragedy and the world whines with them. When women complain, they are often shouted down as shrill bitches, liars, vindictive, whiners, crying, and all of the other lovely things you've seen in this very thread. Old men are precious resources, who else would buy expensive cars, squire supermodels, molest young boys, start pointless wars, fund and forward dead ideologies?

What are women doing? Probably just thinking of BOYS or something.

*Sarcasm warning*

I do wish there was a like button for when posts are great but there's nothing really to say in response XD

 

[Azure23]

Obligatory post to remind everyone of what ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

Tim Nunt was let go from an honorary position at a university where he had not had a functioning lab for many years. He was paid to associate with them so they could say that have a Nobel winning Professor on staff. They were paying for the name, when the name became associated with sexism, they let him go because it wasn't worth the money. He also lost his fellowship with the royal society, that is also not a job. The Royal Society distributes a lot of grants and organizes functions, that's pretty much it. The hosts of the lunch, an association for Korean women scientists, also asked for and received an apology for "remarks that caused great concern and regret." Tim Hunt still has a livelihood, he will continue to publish papers and in all likelihood continue to put his foot so far down his throat he's kicking his own ass.

 

[manic_depressive13]

"...and when you criticize them, they cry."

And he quickly found out he was right.

In all seriousness, my opinion is the same as the scientist who wore that shirt last year: it was unprofessional, but the lynch mob against him is unwarranted.

Oh, you mean the guy who burst into tears after he was criticised? I remember that guy.

 

[Lovely Mixture]

Can you please show how that's what I've done, and not a straw man you're beating to death?

I didn't do that. I was just saying that's the way things are going in in our ultra-politically correct society.

 

[THM]

My problem with this kind of behavior is the lack of perspective. His comment may very well have been insulting or in poor taste, but the possibility that he might be kind of a dick has no effect on his quality as a scientist. To me, it demonstrates that the organization in question is more concerned with playing politics than doing their work.

Indeed. They did an interview with Dr. Hunt and his wife, and that came through very clearly. (The link is here: http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jun/13/tim-hunt-hung-out-to-dry-interview-mary-collins)

It should also be noted from the interview that his wife (an academic herself and self-identified feminist), while defending her husband, still thinks what he said was fucking stupid. And it was. Especially if it was something he'd prepared for the speech, since if that was the case he should've run it past A) his wife and/or B) his daughters, to gauge the reaction. If it wasn't, well, at least next time he makes any kind of public statement he'll think more about making an off-the-cuff remark - although he'll probably go too far and self-censor.

Oh well.

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

Oh, you mean the guy who burst into tears after he was criticised? I remember that guy.

That's the one. He cried on television while making a heartfelt apology, then everyone[footnote]except for people who think "crying in public" is the gravest insult a man can suffer and still bring it up to jab at "feminists" that largely exist in their own heads[/footnote] quickly forgot about the incident while celebrating landing on a freaking comet.