Sir Tim Hunt update.

Further to this post about Sir Tim Hunt losing his job over a joke told at a dinner, we have new information. I saw this at Small Dead Animals, by way of Ace of Spades, and I think it needs to be spread as widely as possible.

From Legal Insurrection blog, the Truth about Connie St. Louis and her Tweet heard 'round the world:

New revelations about the speech and the context of the joke have surfaced. An account of a European Commission Official who took detailed minutes of the event adds key information absent from the original report:

According to the new account, Sir Tim started with: "It's strange that such a chauvinist monster like me has been asked to speak to women scientists," which makes clear he mocking sexism, rather than indulging in it. St. Louis reported this as Hunt simply admitting: "he has a reputation as a male chauvinist."

Immediately after the now infamous joke, according to the new evidence, he proceeded to make several very pro gender equality remarks, including: "Now seriously… Science needs women and you should do science despite all the obstacles, and despite monsters like me," which was similarly disregarded in St. Louis's twitter report.
Hunt has already protested that he added, "now seriously" to indicate the joke was over.

This new data comports with science education advocacy mission that had been part of Hunt's work until this incident.
Why, then, was this critical bit left on the cutting room floor from the original report? To answer that question, real investigative journalists at the Daily Mail began doing work reporters used to do — checking the background on the author of the original complaint about Hunt's speech.

Turns out, a lot what Connie St. Louis says ain't so. Including all that stuff she said about Sir Tim Hunt. Like, most of her CV is bullroar.

That's their caption, not mine. I just think she's your average SJW.

I hope the settlement Sir Tim wins from his former employer is large and paid quickly.

The Phantom