What's Trending: #DistractinglySexy

Female scientists have been sharing "distractingly sexy" photos of themselves after a feminist website encouraged them to respond to comments by a Nobel laureate.

Sir Tim Hunt, the Nobel prize-winning British scientist, volunteered some controversial comments at the World Conference of Science Journalists. The Nobel Prize winner was roundly criticised when he detailed his thoughts about the "trouble with girls".

"Three things happen when they [women] are in the lab, you fall in love with them, they fall in love with you, and when you criticise them they cry."

Hunt has responded to his critics stating that his comments were meant to be "light-hearted, ironic comment", but whatever the intention, it went over like a “heavy metallic dirigible” in a field with some widely acknowledged gender issues.

Hunt has now resigned from his position at University College London.

In the wake of the conference and of Hunts sexist remarks, the hashtag #DistractinglySexy began taking off, to mock Hunt and prove him wrong. Within hours there were more than 10,000 tweets. The trend was prompted by a shout-out by the feminist online magazine, Vagenda which urged female scientists to share pictures of themselves at work.

Thousands of female scientists, researchers, doctors, and others have posted pictures of themselves at work or in the field – often donning unglamorous garb such as lab coats, safety glasses, or biohazard suits – with captions poking fun at Hunt’s notion that their tears and affections present hazards to their male coworkers or render them incapable of professionalism.

What is most shocking about all of the above is how prevalent sexist views are still held in fields that are “actively” encouraging women to have careers within science and technology. This just shows that more work needs to be done to counteract these negative views of women within the workplace.

The #CultureRevolution must start now!

Nina a recent graduate from The University of Strathclyde in Glasgow where she studied History. She loves keeping fit and healthy at the gym and singing to her hearts content. Because of Nina's love of all things history related, she has a passion for reading, writing and researching. Nina was the Editor-in-Chief for an online magazine for female students at Strathclyde called Her Campus Strath. Since graduation Nina has been working on her blog www.flawlessonlineuk.com as well as establishing a career in marketing and public relations.