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| Barrister calls out senior partner at law firm for 'sexist' LinkedIn message | Barrister calls out senior partner at law firm for 'sexist' LinkedIn message |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A barrister has slammed a senior partner at a London law firm for sending her a “sexist” and “misogynistic” message in which he complimented her “stunning picture”, on a social network designed for professionals to make contacts. | A barrister has slammed a senior partner at a London law firm for sending her a “sexist” and “misogynistic” message in which he complimented her “stunning picture”, on a social network designed for professionals to make contacts. |
| Admitting that his LinkedIn message was "probably horrendously politically incorrect", Alexander Carter-Silk of Brown Rudnick told Charlotte Proudman: "that is a stunning picture!!!” | Admitting that his LinkedIn message was "probably horrendously politically incorrect", Alexander Carter-Silk of Brown Rudnick told Charlotte Proudman: "that is a stunning picture!!!” |
| "You definitely win the prize for the best Linked in [sic] picture I have ever seen," he added. | "You definitely win the prize for the best Linked in [sic] picture I have ever seen," he added. |
| Mentioning a potential professional connection in the closing line of the email, Mr Carter-Silk wrote: “Always interest [sic] to understant [sic] people's skills and how we might work together.” | Mentioning a potential professional connection in the closing line of the email, Mr Carter-Silk wrote: “Always interest [sic] to understant [sic] people's skills and how we might work together.” |
| Ms Proudman, a barrister and a PhD candidate at Cambridge University researching the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), hit back at Mr Carter-Silk and called his message “offensive” and “misogynistic”. | |
| "I find your message offensive,” she wrote. | |
| "I am on linked-in [sic] for business purposes not to be approached about my physical appearance or to be objectified by sexist men. | "I am on linked-in [sic] for business purposes not to be approached about my physical appearance or to be objectified by sexist men. |
| "The eroticisation of women's physical appearance is a way of exercising power over women. It silences women's professional attributes as their physical appearance becomes the subject. | "The eroticisation of women's physical appearance is a way of exercising power over women. It silences women's professional attributes as their physical appearance becomes the subject. |
| "Unacceptable and misogynistic behaviour. Think twice before sending another woman (half your age) such a sexist message," she said. | "Unacceptable and misogynistic behaviour. Think twice before sending another woman (half your age) such a sexist message," she said. |
| After Ms Proudman shared the message on Twitter, she was flooded with message of support. | After Ms Proudman shared the message on Twitter, she was flooded with message of support. |
| How many women @LinkedIn are contacted re physical appearance rather than prof skills? @Jessica_Asato @ObjectUpdate pic.twitter.com/YglDA1JdEX | How many women @LinkedIn are contacted re physical appearance rather than prof skills? @Jessica_Asato @ObjectUpdate pic.twitter.com/YglDA1JdEX |
| Supporting @CRProudman @LinkedIn @Jessica_Asato @ObjectUpdate "a risk of being horrendously politically incorrect" no a certainty. | Supporting @CRProudman @LinkedIn @Jessica_Asato @ObjectUpdate "a risk of being horrendously politically incorrect" no a certainty. |
| @CRProudman @LinkedIn @Jessica_Asato @ObjectUpdate @BrownRudnickLLP I get it all the time too!! I'm utterly appalled some days. | @CRProudman @LinkedIn @Jessica_Asato @ObjectUpdate @BrownRudnickLLP I get it all the time too!! I'm utterly appalled some days. |
| @CRProudman @LinkedIn @ObjectUpdate I changed my LinkedIn profile photo to an uglier one so I'd get fewer creepy men adding/messaging me | @CRProudman @LinkedIn @ObjectUpdate I changed my LinkedIn profile photo to an uglier one so I'd get fewer creepy men adding/messaging me |
| @CRProudman Met with a guy through LinkedIn on the pretext of start up support, asked if I used it as a dating site & if I had a boyfriend | @CRProudman Met with a guy through LinkedIn on the pretext of start up support, asked if I used it as a dating site & if I had a boyfriend |
| The barrister told The Evening Standard that the message was “very disappointing”. | The barrister told The Evening Standard that the message was “very disappointing”. |
| "I'm on there for business purposes and I thought he may be interested in my skills and experience as opposed to my body. | "I'm on there for business purposes and I thought he may be interested in my skills and experience as opposed to my body. |
| “People are treating LinkedIn like Tinder, I've received many messages based on my physical appearance, but this one was from a senior partner," she said. | “People are treating LinkedIn like Tinder, I've received many messages based on my physical appearance, but this one was from a senior partner," she said. |
| Ms Proudman told the newspaper that she has contacted the CEO of Brown Rudnick, will refer the message to the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and is expecting a public apology from Mr Cater-Silk. | Ms Proudman told the newspaper that she has contacted the CEO of Brown Rudnick, will refer the message to the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and is expecting a public apology from Mr Cater-Silk. |
| However, Mr Carter-Silk defended message. He told the RollOnFriday law news website: "Most people post pretty unprofessional pictures on Linked in, my comment was aimed at the professional quality of the presentation on linked in which was unfortunately misinterpreted“. | However, Mr Carter-Silk defended message. He told the RollOnFriday law news website: "Most people post pretty unprofessional pictures on Linked in, my comment was aimed at the professional quality of the presentation on linked in which was unfortunately misinterpreted“. |
| "Ms Proudman is clearly highly respected and I was pleased to receive her request to linkup and very happy to instruct her on matters which [are] relevant to her expertise that remains the position," he said. | "Ms Proudman is clearly highly respected and I was pleased to receive her request to linkup and very happy to instruct her on matters which [are] relevant to her expertise that remains the position," he said. |
| A spokesperson for Brown Rudnick told The Independent: “Both Mr. Carter-Silk and the firm have promptly and sincerely apologised to Ms Proudman. | A spokesperson for Brown Rudnick told The Independent: “Both Mr. Carter-Silk and the firm have promptly and sincerely apologised to Ms Proudman. |
| "We have also assured Ms Proudman that we are committed to gender equality and do not condone any words or actions that depart from that principle." | "We have also assured Ms Proudman that we are committed to gender equality and do not condone any words or actions that depart from that principle." |
| The incident follows a report which found that sexism is rife among barristers. | The incident follows a report which found that sexism is rife among barristers. |
| Professionals in the field are “existing in a children’s playground” who know they can get away with “grossly disrespectful” comments, according to the Bar Council. |