Friday, 11 September 2015

Offensive?


                                          Mr Carter-Silk said Miss Proudman should ‘win a prize’ for her photograph, adding it was ‘the best I have ever seen’ on the site. She responded saying she was not on LinkedIn ‘to be objectified by sexist men’ (pictured)

I wonder what you think of this (you may have to enlarge it). This story has been grabbing the UK headlines over the last few days.

Carter-Silk is a solicitor and Proudman a feminist human-rights barrister. One would have imagined that they were intelligent, respectable, and courteous members of the legal profession; but maybe not.

On Linkedin, Carter-Silk complemented Proudman on her portrait photo, which was obviously professionally taken; no doubt to make her look as attractive as possible (the tiny one bottom left).

But rather than thank him for his kind words, she harangued him for being sexist, misogynistic, and offensive, and claims that he was objectifying her.

No doubt Carter-Silk and myself attended the same School of Etiquette/Manners, and no doubt like myself he gives up his seat to women on the tube, opens doors for them at M & S, and occasionally makes compliments. It's how we were brought up, and there was never previously any suggestion of our behaviour being sexist; in fact had we done otherwise we would have been accused of being rude or uncouth.

When I saw the above, I wondered what on earth has happened to the western world if a man can't make a small compliment from time to time without being attacked as sexist. Is this yet another case of 'PC gone mad', or is prissy-Proudman just over-reacting?

Looking at the photo in question, it says to me 'Look how gorgeous I am'.... and then the silly woman has the bloody cheek to complain.


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34 comments:

  1. Rachel Phillips11 September 2015 at 06:27

    I bet she's no good in bed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cro Magnon11 September 2015 at 06:31

      I'll tell her you said that. Aren't you supposed to be in some plane?

      Delete
    2. Rachel Phillips11 September 2015 at 06:34

      I'm at Heathrow having breakfast. The woman is PC gone mad.

      Delete
    3. Cro Magnon11 September 2015 at 07:05

      Wot; oysters at 8am?

      Delete
    4. Rachel Phillips11 September 2015 at 07:32

      Of course. And wine. And it was only 7am.

      Delete
  2. Paul11 September 2015 at 06:59

    Very clever ploy. What a way to get everyone to know who you are.

    "There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about".

    Oscar Wilde

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    Replies
    1. Cro Magnon11 September 2015 at 07:05

      But it her case it's probably buggered her career (for a while anyway).

      Delete
  3. Bea11 September 2015 at 07:23

    My hubby works for LinkedIn and I just spoke with him about this. One is able to block someone whom they find 'inappropriate', 'offensive', or what-have-you from having further contact. A LinkedIn user found to be repeatedly sending other users 'offensive material'--could be a broad definition used here--would, in all likelihood, be banned from using the site. Hubby is not involved w/ this side of the biz and didn't have much more to say on the matter. I suppose Proudman could have simply blocked the solicitor from having further contact with her and that would have been that. As far as profile pics go, I was told (by the hubs) that one shouldn't go w/out one and that the image used should show a person with whom others would like to work (duh). Not like anyone asked, but both my LinkedIn profile and pic could use a bit of sprucing up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cro Magnon11 September 2015 at 07:30

      Or she could simply have said 'how kind', and left it at that. It doesn't pay to be hot-headed; as she obviously is.

      I gave up my Linkedin page, as I couldn't really see what use it could be to a painter, and I had all sorts of strange people wanting to connect.

      Delete
  4. Coppa's girl11 September 2015 at 07:40

    Silly woman, is she going to react like that every time she thinks someone has made a sexist remark? Perhaps she should change her surname to Proudperson - surely the "man" part is also sexist? Not a good surname for a feminist !

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  5. libby11 September 2015 at 08:03

    Don't stop opening doors and paying compliments Cro...grown women appreciate a gentleman.

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  6. Andi's English Attic11 September 2015 at 08:06

    I think it's the wording of his message. 'Stunning picture' and 'you definitely win the prize...' It's too flirtatious (for want of a better expression). It's lovely to receive a compliment - in the right setting. If a man compliments a woman on her appearance during a business meeting it immediately sends signals of condescension. I think the reply was over the top, but I understand where she's coming from.

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    Replies
    1. Gary11 September 2015 at 08:12

      My thoughts exactly.

      Delete
    2. Cro Magnon11 September 2015 at 09:12

      I agree that his 'complement' was probably misplaced, but her reaction was even more so.

      Delete
    3. Jennifer11 September 2015 at 10:49

      While her reaction was definitely over the top and excessive, his comment was unprofessional and in slightly poor taste. If you have to begin a sentence with "this is probably horrendously politically incorrect..." then you should probably rethink whatever you are about to say.

      But the whole thing seems like a tempest in a teapot to me.

      Delete
    4. Cro Magnon11 September 2015 at 11:14

      The Press is having fun. I agree with you about his remark though. I'm sure he regrets it now.

      Delete
  7. Frances11 September 2015 at 08:24

    It was an inappropriate place for a compliment. I wonder what the man's wife thinks of it all!

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  8. Tom Stephenson11 September 2015 at 09:15

    Judging from her photo, I would have said that I would give her one for free, but having seen her reaction to Carter-Silk's badly-spelt comment, I am not so sure now.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Vintage Maison11 September 2015 at 10:37

    The plot thickens. HE described his own daughter as 'hot...' and SHE has been leaving comments about men on Facebook. Daft really.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lilbitbrit11 September 2015 at 12:14

    Maybe her name says it all Proudman

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    Replies
    1. Cro Magnon11 September 2015 at 13:12

      I bet she can't wait to get married and change it... people might also then forget who she is.

      Delete
  11. Jo11 September 2015 at 12:40

    I'd be chuffed to bits if I got a compliment like that. I saw this in the media, didn't she complain about it being offensive and then post it on Twitter? She really didn't have to do that, it seems to me she wanted the publicity.

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    Replies
    1. Cro Magnon11 September 2015 at 13:11

      If she'd been genuinely offended, she should have ignored it.

      Delete
  12. Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe11 September 2015 at 13:01

    It must be a slow news day.

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  13. Mac n' Janet11 September 2015 at 15:25

    The lady doth protest too much.

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  14. The Weaver of Grass11 September 2015 at 20:05

    Entirely agree Cro. I consider myself to be a modern woman - I held down a senior post in a Comprehensive School and I have always been confident. Any compliments which came my way were accepted with good grace and a certain amount of pleasure (they get a bit thin on the ground at my age but I still enjoy them). Incidentally Cro - I love the portrait of you on your blog site and think you are a handsome man - be offended if you like but don't send me a diatribe please.

    ReplyDelete

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