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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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 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.

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!