Is it offensive to tell a woman that she looks nice?

Not really. He probably thought he was just being friendly - it was a remark more fitting to Facebook rather than LinkedIn, but I wouldn't have taken it as being offensive - but then I was never that pretty!

Yes I do think he did something wrong.

[I am not sure by the way whether his reply to her could be seen by others or not].

It was inappropriate in my opinion. I would have thought definitely inapporpriate from a professional point of view as it was in reply to something on LinkedIn.
And not really that approproprite otherwise either, especially since he didnt even know her.

I suspect he was trying it on and didn't expect such a robust response. The DM this morning say's she is being subjected to fairly dire name calling on twitter, no surprise there then.

Yes it was inappropriate for him to comment on her looks - LinkedIn isn't a dating site or Facebook.

I'm undecided hence the next question. If it was inappropriate, was it bad enough for her to 'out' him?

He knew what he wrote was inappropriate. As always she is the loser. We haven't come very far have we. I expect he is enjoying his sense of power - he doesn't seem to have apologised does he.

I think we women shouldn't be so touchy. I am perfectly capable of commenting favourably on pictures of FB friends and family, male , female and their dogs!
Was he being patronising though? Maybe, but the woman's comment still seems OTT to me
"The eroticisation of women's physical appearance is a way of exercising power over women...........Unacceptable and misogynistic behaviour ......Think twice before sending another woman (half your age) such a sexist message."
His "misogynistic and sexist comment"?
"I appreciate this is probably horrendously politically incorrect, but that is a stunning picture!"
So clumsy and patronising maybe, but have young women forgotten how to accept a compliment gracefully?
And if you can't take comments whether on Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin , think of that saying about kitchens and heat.

LinkedIn should not be lumped in with FB, Twitter etc. They are the place where you expect comments on your appearance. That's what people post selfies for. LinkedIn is for business people to connect with each other. Whether your 25 or 75 plain or not is irrelevant. Maybe she did go slightly OTT but he was wrong to comment.

'...that is a stunning picture'. Perhaps he was complimenting the photographer, not her at all

It seems he apologised immediately she told him that she was offended.

Is it an age thing? I'm a similar age to the man. The other day I saw a lady in a lovely outfit and, although she was a stranger, I couldn't help but comment on it to her. She seemed happy to be complimented even though it was out of the blue in the street.

Why people always see the wrong side of a compliment amazes me, I agree it is a stunning photograph and if I commented on it would I have received the same reply from the complainant or would it be ignored because I am female.
My hubby would always say how attractive a person looks and it wouldn't bother me one bit,lets get back to normality and spend less time looking to object to simple everyday comments.(am now ducking under a cushion) lol.

Can't a person just ignore something though? We are in danger of reducing human interaction to such scrutiny nobody will dare express an opinion.
Coincidentally I am in the middle of reading reviews of a production of Brave New World DD is involved in and realising how close we are getting to Huxley's dystopian predictions

If they weren't already more than slightly acquainted on a strictly professional level, it was inappropriately familiar. If they had been on first name terms, then perhaps it would have been permissible. But she could have been more sensitive herself and sent him a private brush-off instead of stirring up this unnecessary can of worms.

I think it's quite possible he was trying it on. She should have ignored it.

I don't think I would want such a silly woman representing me in a Court. But perhaps they are all the same these days.

LinkedIn should not be lumped in with FB

Totally right ninathenana. It seems many people are unaware of how LinkedIn works. This was someone presenting their CV - that is what this site is about. I have just looked at all the people who share the same name as my son as I know he uses LinkedIn for networking his business. He has used the company logo - appropriate because it is really about his company - others have used personal photos, some have not. In the same way some people now use photos on CVs and some do not.

This man was not paying her a compliment he was demeaning her professionalism. I cannot believe, in this day and age, that so many take this so flippantly. If the man in the picture above my son's was your son or grandson and I, from a position of great power used this site so very inappropriately and others then threatened your sons/grandsons career because he objected I think you would take it rather more seriously especially if he was then targeted and threatened by internet trolls who make the most awful threats and comments behind the anonymity of the internet.

I'm (almost ) speechless .
Women must have run out of real things to be offended about.
Surely there are other ways of advertising that don't involve the internet?

Totally agree with ninathenana.

The point is with this particular instance, that it is LinkedIn.
LinkedIn, is for professional people to network in a business way. It is part cv, part head hunt, that sort of thing.

It may well have been inappropriate given the fact that Linkedin is a business website, but there was really no need for her to so publicly object to it. A simple private put down would have sufficed - and someone of her education and profession surely wouldn't have difficulty in phrasing a clever remark that would put an end to it without attracting any vitriol should he decide to go public with it.

Mountains and molehills. Yes, it was the wrong site for a " compliment" but IMO she overreacted, and in any case could have dealt with it privately.

But it wouldn't Indinana. This man was capable of thinking it was OK to say this and that shows at least how foolish he is but the legal profession is notorious for its sexism and it is used as a power against women. He is in a position to do severe damage to her career - he may not, but keeping it private would not necessarily protect her.

To me it smacks of the position of those - particularly women - employed in big houses in the past. If you complain it's your fault, if you don't it's your fault. You would hope that an older and one would hope more knowledgeable person when it comes to workplace relationships would understand how to behave appropriately in a workplace situation. As he has shown this is not the case she could really have not reliance on him accepting "a small private put down" and not wrecking her career. I feel she was in a loose, loose situation created by his inappropriate behaviour.

We seem to have become a nation of people who take offence very easily.
However, I do realise that I have no knowledge of the etiquette required on LinkedIn or any social media sites.
But it still seems to me to be a fuss about nothing, as so often these days.

It is not about taking offense henetha; it is about the misuse of power.