SHOULD TIM HUNT HAVE BEEN FORCED TO RESIGN?

Nobel Prize winner Tim Hunt has resigned from his university post today, after his sexist comments caused fury. Spoken during a conference speech addressing science journalists in South Korea, he said the “trouble with girls” – there are “three things that happen when they are in the lab,” he said, “you fall in love with them, they fall in love with you and when you criticise them they cry.”

I agree that what he said was purile and dismissive and I would take massive offence at this if I was a female scientist. His comments have understandably caused a storm, mainly on Twitter where the hashtag #distractinglySexy is trending – quite funny photos of women wearing their white coats and boots and posting selfies of themselves looking deeply unsexy in every way. He has apologised unreservedly for any upset caused – they were meant to be “light-hearted and ironic” he said, although he does although stand by what he said, because “I was just trying to be honest” it was what had happened to him.

However, I feel sorry for him now and furious that his ill-conceived comments have forced him to resign. People power causing a Twitter fury should certainly not be taken lightly, but is it right that Universities et al react so quickly to the fire? Should we not start trying to find a way to ride the storm and not allow panic resignations as a result? This is a man with a brilliant mind who has contributed so much to the field of science who made some silly comments. SO WHAT??? HE”S APOLOGISED. He can’t be expected to be fabulous in all areas of life can he? Honestly, if you’re a scientist, then perhaps you’re not so good at witty small talk – GIVE HIM A BREAK. Perhaps he should have got his partner to sense check his speech (if he has one) although maybe he or she did indeed check it and accepted it as a bit of light relief and meant to be said slightly in jest. Who knows what he was thinking, but I understand that he has been a massive supporter of female scientists so I’m quite sure he wasn’t aiming to have all women banned from science in general.

Don’t get me wrong here, I am most certainly a feminist, but sorry, I don’t think gender statements of this kind should prompt resignations and much anger. I think it should prompt a wider discussion about why women are so rare in the world of science (and technology). Dare I say it but perhaps we need to take what he says a little bit seriously. How many of us have experienced life in a lab? Perhaps young women actually do find this part of the process difficult and feel uncomfortable in a mixed lab? Has anybody actually asked any of the women what they think yet and would they even dare agree with him? WHY are our girls not getting top jobs in this field? What do the young female scientists have to say about this? OK I can’t quite imagine that the lab really is a hot bed of desire amongst all those bacteria – heavy breathing under masks – maybe it’s like spending all day in Bikram Yoga. But who knows?

I went to a Digital Conference yesterday and an eminent neuroscientist made almost exactly the same comments about the differences between men and women – he even stated that “men were better at being CEO’s of tech companies” (and got away with it!!). He then told us that because men and women were so different and women were much better at “eye reading”, he told us that “if you want some intelligent decisions made, fill the room with women because they will get the best results”. There was a loud cheer from the audience, just as there was when Martha Lane Fox said there is an absolute crisis looming because there were no women moving up in the field of tech. Imagine if he had said that about men? If he had said men were more intelligent? All the women would have walked out. There is something very wrong here.

WE HAVE A PROBLEM in the world of gender stereotyping, no doubt about that. But forcing scientists to leave their jobs? Is that the right answer. I would have liked to see this open up a massive debate about how we do better with our girls and boys in the labs. We are not addressing the male Vs female issues correctly. I really think as women we ought to be starting from a different approach. Lets not get angry, lets get even girls. For a start, I want you to start thinking about what the world would be like if the men were the ones having the babies?