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Engineer Calls This Scientist ‘Unprofessional’ Because Of Her Red Hair And Tattoos, She Bashes Him On Twitter
Thankfully, the days of strict dress codes at work are slowly disappearing in most industries. Bosses have finally cottoned on to the fact that forcing people to sit at a desk all day sweltering in a rigid suit and tie just doesn’t make any sense.
Some work environment habits die hard, however, and in traditionally male-dominated areas – which science still is, for now – women boldly expressing themselves at work are apparently seen as ‘unprofessional’ for some.
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Image credits: geologiststephy
So when environmental scientist Joleah Lamb started a Twitter thread asking for stories and biased opinions about men commenting on women’s dress in the scientific community, she certainly got some eye-opening responses.
One, in particular, stood out, however – an exchange between Stephanie E. Suarez and an engineer from Chevron.
Stephanie received a message on LinkedIn from the engineer, criticizing her red hair dye and tattoos likening her to a “waiter of Midtown,” whatever that means. To which Stephanie gave the good comeback that he deserved.
Image credits: geologiststephy
Image credits: geologiststephy
Why do some people feel the need to share their unsolicited opinions about others’ appearance? Do they think they are doing a favor or something? Stephanie’s looks are utterly irrelevant to her job, and it is nobody’s business to suggest what she wears at work, interview, or otherwise!
The exchange sheds some light on the issues that some women scientists are faced with. Rather than allowing their work to speak for itself, some men still expect women to justify themselves through their appearance. That is asking that they ‘fit in’ with old-fashioned views on what is acceptable in the profession. Who are you to decide what is ‘professional’ and what is gender equality?
Stephanie went on to give some further background on the situation
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Image credits: geologiststephy
Image credits: geologiststephy
Image credits: geologiststephy
Image credits: geologiststephy
While people were quick to offer their support
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What do you think? Does your job have expectations of how you should dress at work? Why do you think that some people need to tell others how they ‘should’ look? Share your own stories in the comments below!
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What do you think ?
Yaz Cam 6 years ago
He did all of that because she called him out for trying to hit on women on LinkedIn. He was embarrassed and attempted to hurt her feelings, which he failed at big time while digging himself into a hole.
Grumble O'Pug 6 years ago
creeping on linked-in is so common. It's disgusting.
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Neon Petra 6 years ago
Why would anyone think this is even slightly okay? Just because someone chose to have tattoos and red hair does not mean in the SLIGHTEST that they are unprofessional or uneducated. It isn't a random guy's job to tell her what she can and can't do with her body!
Rissie 6 years ago (edited)
It's not ok and he knows it. He acted unprofessional (hitting on someone in LinkedIn...) and got called out. That hurts and is a reminder of his own unacceptable behavior. So in order to counter it, he tries to twist his own widely considered inappropriate behavior to make it her problem by pointing out something that's actually fine (but is still frowned upon by some people that hang onto believes that will not survive) in hopes of touching a weakness (and clearly she had to put up with people like this before or it would not have hurt her). And the best part is how this creep makes something he probably thought of as attractive (why hit on her other wise) into something to hurt her. Bottom line; he's someone with low self-esteem and low integrity, might be connected and and she's a smart expressive woman with absolutely normal emotional responses.
Load More Replies...
S. 6 years ago
Exactly. That dude no longer deserves to be served properly at restaurants, honestly.
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Jane Doe 6 years ago
Trying to remember where I saw the following conversation posted: A woman was talking with her male boss about a photo on Linkedin. He said that women shouldn't use slutty pictures as their profile. She looked at the woman in a white blouse with small, diamond earrings and asked what was slutty about it, since most women in their office wore the same thing everyday. They went round and round until he finally had to say, "but she's hot!" So a beautiful woman will be called a s**t because in her picture she appears as a beautiful woman. Stands to reason then, that a woman who wears non-traditional business clothes will be threatened because she doesn't wear traditional business clothes.
Laugh Fan 6 years ago
I'm fairly sure I saw it on Bored Panda. Yes - https://www.boredpanda.com/?s=linkedin
Load More Replies... 
Tony Moon 6 years ago
I'm a 20 year geologist who is transitioning to a Ph.D. in Geochemistry, and recently the company I worked for was purchased by an engineering firm. The engineers were absolutely adamant that we must all wear suits while we were in the field. Every geologist in the place let them know how stupid of an idea it was. Not only do I work in Florida, where wearing a suit and tie is considered suicide because of the heat, but its dangerous as hell to be in such a confining uniform while working around heavy equipment like drill rigs, and we are not engineers, we actually get our hands dirty and do actual work. There is no way any of us were going to buy suits just so we could get them covered in mud daily, and die of heat exhaustion.
AzKhaleesi 6 years ago
That's crazy, it's 2019 everyone needs to relax. I do photography as a second job and I had a parent of a bride try to say that I had to cover my tattoos for the wedding. The bride was like ummm no. "She is who she is, and she will be comfortable so she can do her job. I wouldn't even have her cover them if she was IN the wedding party. If you don't like it, don't come." TO HER OWN MOTHER I was like hell ya! (I met in the middle. I wore a sheer long sleeve top so they could still "see" the tattoos but they were "covered" the bride thought it was hilarious. Mom....not so much.
Dilly Millandry 6 years ago
Nice one! I am truly puzzled as to why someone decorating their own skin matters to anyone else. A LOT more live and let live needs to exist.
Load More Replies...
Carol Emory 6 years ago
I would have fired back with "I'm sure your bosses at Chevron would like a chance to ring in on what is more unprofessional...a woman with red hair and tattoos..or an employee that uses job search sites to pick up women. I happen to think they will lean towards the idea that the unprofessionalism is linked to the person that is most likely to earn them a trip to civil court. Don't make yourself a liability."
Adam Cantor 6 years ago
Ok Mr. Small PP.... *eyeroll* Threatened by successful and attractive women much?
Yaz Cam 6 years ago
He did all of that because she called him out for trying to hit on women on LinkedIn. He was embarrassed and attempted to hurt her feelings, which he failed at big time while digging himself into a hole.
Grumble O'Pug 6 years ago
creeping on linked-in is so common. It's disgusting.
Load More Replies... Neon Petra 6 years ago
Why would anyone think this is even slightly okay? Just because someone chose to have tattoos and red hair does not mean in the SLIGHTEST that they are unprofessional or uneducated. It isn't a random guy's job to tell her what she can and can't do with her body!
Rissie 6 years ago (edited)
It's not ok and he knows it. He acted unprofessional (hitting on someone in LinkedIn...) and got called out. That hurts and is a reminder of his own unacceptable behavior. So in order to counter it, he tries to twist his own widely considered inappropriate behavior to make it her problem by pointing out something that's actually fine (but is still frowned upon by some people that hang onto believes that will not survive) in hopes of touching a weakness (and clearly she had to put up with people like this before or it would not have hurt her). And the best part is how this creep makes something he probably thought of as attractive (why hit on her other wise) into something to hurt her. Bottom line; he's someone with low self-esteem and low integrity, might be connected and and she's a smart expressive woman with absolutely normal emotional responses.
Load More Replies... S. 6 years ago
Exactly. That dude no longer deserves to be served properly at restaurants, honestly.
Load More Replies... Jane Doe 6 years ago
Trying to remember where I saw the following conversation posted: A woman was talking with her male boss about a photo on Linkedin. He said that women shouldn't use slutty pictures as their profile. She looked at the woman in a white blouse with small, diamond earrings and asked what was slutty about it, since most women in their office wore the same thing everyday. They went round and round until he finally had to say, "but she's hot!" So a beautiful woman will be called a s**t because in her picture she appears as a beautiful woman. Stands to reason then, that a woman who wears non-traditional business clothes will be threatened because she doesn't wear traditional business clothes.
Laugh Fan 6 years ago
I'm fairly sure I saw it on Bored Panda. Yes - https://www.boredpanda.com/?s=linkedin
Load More Replies... Tony Moon 6 years ago
I'm a 20 year geologist who is transitioning to a Ph.D. in Geochemistry, and recently the company I worked for was purchased by an engineering firm. The engineers were absolutely adamant that we must all wear suits while we were in the field. Every geologist in the place let them know how stupid of an idea it was. Not only do I work in Florida, where wearing a suit and tie is considered suicide because of the heat, but its dangerous as hell to be in such a confining uniform while working around heavy equipment like drill rigs, and we are not engineers, we actually get our hands dirty and do actual work. There is no way any of us were going to buy suits just so we could get them covered in mud daily, and die of heat exhaustion.
AzKhaleesi 6 years ago
That's crazy, it's 2019 everyone needs to relax. I do photography as a second job and I had a parent of a bride try to say that I had to cover my tattoos for the wedding. The bride was like ummm no. "She is who she is, and she will be comfortable so she can do her job. I wouldn't even have her cover them if she was IN the wedding party. If you don't like it, don't come." TO HER OWN MOTHER I was like hell ya! (I met in the middle. I wore a sheer long sleeve top so they could still "see" the tattoos but they were "covered" the bride thought it was hilarious. Mom....not so much.
Dilly Millandry 6 years ago
Nice one! I am truly puzzled as to why someone decorating their own skin matters to anyone else. A LOT more live and let live needs to exist.
Load More Replies... Carol Emory 6 years ago
I would have fired back with "I'm sure your bosses at Chevron would like a chance to ring in on what is more unprofessional...a woman with red hair and tattoos..or an employee that uses job search sites to pick up women. I happen to think they will lean towards the idea that the unprofessionalism is linked to the person that is most likely to earn them a trip to civil court. Don't make yourself a liability."
Adam Cantor 6 years ago
Ok Mr. Small PP.... *eyeroll* Threatened by successful and attractive women much?
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