Read the story in the Brisbane Courier (the link to the text of the email is separate).
An LNP staffer has resigned after sending an email to a Queensland feminist about the superiority of men, telling her to “get a life” and calling her a “sourpuss” for writing an opinion piece about the need for more women in parliament.
Max Tomlinson, the then media adviser to Liberal National Party Senator Ian Macdonald, wrote to Dr Carole Ford after she penned a newspaper column criticising the lack of female representation in Queensland’s parliament.
In his email, Mr Tomlinson tells Dr Ford “like most women, you probably don’t possess the necessary drive, determination and decisiveness that men innately possess.
“It’s not a personal criticism; it’s a fact of biology.
“That was part of nature’s grand design to enable men to be stronger, more fearless and more determined than their sisters. Sorry, Carole, fact not fiction.”
This morning, Mr Tomlinson told brisbanetimes.com.au that he had resigned from his job with Senator Macdonald because of the publication of what he described as a private email.
Here at HaT yesterday we received the text of that email from a third party, and while we were discussing a plan for doing due diligence on the authenticity of the email and the parties involved, Crikey published on it quoting Tomlinson as acknowledging that he had indeed written the email in question to Ford (now updated to reflect his resignation).
We appreciate that we were sent the story, and wish we’d been able to verify the details more quickly, but I’m glad that other publications were able to get the story out and publicise this. Some media advisor, eh?
Oh teh stupid, it burns!
I always hate how people like this refuse to stand by their opinions. At least say, “this was intended to be a private email but I acknowledge it has damaged the reputation of the party” or something. Looking like you’re a complete tool who doesn’t realise women with the title Dr might be less than sympathetic to your misogyny is at least better than looking like someone who can’t own his shit.
My boss explained to me how email is like posting something on a bulletin board and you should never, ever imagine it’s private or inviolable, in 1996.
1996, people.
It’s taking some people a LONG time to catch up. People in senior positions. People who are opining that people like me are lacking in their level of awesomeness. Pffffffffft.
Isn’t it terrible when women respond to bullying behaviour by telling people about it, rather than keeping it private like good little flowers? Next thing you know, they’ll be demanding the right to vote…
Indeed, Beppie. But bullies never think of that.
Always nice to see a bully called out for their behavior.
@Helen so true and let’s not forget the huge number of people who don’t seem to understand that the bcc field exists
What an idiot!