LONDON -- How do you respond to sexist comments if you're a female scientist who has been told that you should be in a single-sex lab because male scientists might fall in love with you? You mock them on Twitter, of course.
Female scientists have been tweeting photos of themselves (and some historical figures) with the hashtag #distractinglysexy in response to Sir Tim Hunt's comments on Tuesday. He told a conference in South Korea that the "trouble with girls" is they fall in love with you, you fall in love with them and that then when they're criticised, they cry.
British biochemist Hunt, who was awarded a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2001, resigned from his role at University College London following the controversy.
After news of his comments spread, they sparked outrage in the science community in Britain and beyond.
Here are 16 of the best #distractinglysexy tweets:
I'm really glad that Curie managed to take a break from crying to discover radium and polonium #distractinglysexy pic.twitter.com/txYVHoidK5— Amy Remeikis (@AmyRemeikis) June 11, 2015
It's just really hard working in a coed lab because I'm too distracting to the male scientists #distractinglysexy pic.twitter.com/9cZMUpy6TL— Danielle Spitzer (@dspitzzz) June 11, 2015
Nothing like a sample tube full of cheetah poop to make you #distractinglysexy pic.twitter.com/tdBTLRos4p— Sarah Durant (@SarahMDurant) June 11, 2015
Still #distractinglysexy after a full day of cell culture. Didn't even cry this time, so proud! #HeyaTimHunt pic.twitter.com/RdAxxLJ1fY— Lucie de Beauchamp (@lu_debeauchamp) June 11, 2015
Tears, laughter, romance, dirty dirty flotation: #archaeology makes me so hot right now #distractinglysexy pic.twitter.com/Ke2KtDAXZi— Lorna Richardson (@lornarichardson) June 11, 2015
Planting this giant field experiment in the snow was probably the most #distractinglysexy week of my career so far. pic.twitter.com/bowL2vFdKg— Maggie R Wagner (@GolfXrayEcho) June 11, 2015
Filter mask protects me from hazardous chemicals and muffles my woman cries. Double win! #DistractinglySexy pic.twitter.com/5kYlm6SNud— Amelia Cervera (@ameliacervera) June 11, 2015
My lenses bring all the profs to the yard. #distractinglysexy pic.twitter.com/tgDNzg28gJ— Nermeen Youssef (@Cleo2atra) June 11, 2015
Oh don't mind me. I'm just pipetting while being #distractinglysexy #TimHunt #WomenInSTEM #womeninscience pic.twitter.com/95ywMimBno— Meg Massa (@MegMassa) June 11, 2015
Hearts in the palm of our hands #distractinglysexy #TimHunt @VagendaMagazine pic.twitter.com/KA1askiwCD— ash (@ashcl0ud) June 11, 2015
I made it through these brain dissections without falling in love or crying. Phew! #distractinglysexy #TimHunt pic.twitter.com/q5PVkM9zCx— Sonja Vernes (@Sonja_Vernes) June 11, 2015
Guess I can't save the lives of my geological counterparts - I'm too #distractinglysexy to the team. As if! #TimHunt pic.twitter.com/QwXSYPhLQr— Lisa P to the O (@xLiserx) June 11, 2015
I had 3 marriage proposals after this talk. Shame I cried too much to accept #distractinglysexy #captioncompetition pic.twitter.com/Bv8yYmKhMK— Sammie Buzzard (@TreacherousBuzz) June 11, 2015
To save you all time, I have designed an easy to print off sign for your lab. You are welcome. #distractinglysexy pic.twitter.com/3LAPboJhb4— Steve Diggle (@stevediggle) June 11, 2015
Ha! Best #distractinglysexy signage ever! pic.twitter.com/dgx097F0x4— Cindy Renate (@CindyRenate) June 11, 2015
You might think we're covered up for bug and sun protection, but it's really just because we're #distractinglysexy pic.twitter.com/O5fQH0bJgQ— Rachel Penczykowski (@RachelPenczy) June 11, 2015