Readers React: Male CEOs get away with a lot worse than what one female Korean executive did to an employee

To the editor: The Los Angeles Times’ story on the Korean Air heiress who tossed a glass of water into the face of an advertising agency executive missed an essential point: Had Cho Hyun-min been a male heir or executive, there would have been much less media coverage.

For centuries, male leaders have been able to humiliate their subordinates, berate them, even kick them, and with no consequences. However, let a woman do something that comes out to even a fraction of that kind of behavior and the entire male hemisphere suddenly becomes unhinged and outraged.

It’s not because she tossed water in the face of a colleague, it’s because she is a woman. If anyone doubts this, just conduct a simple online search with the phrase “boss abuses employee” or “CEO humiliates subordinates.”

I am not condoning her behavior. I am pointing out there is a serious double standard at work here.

Andy Serrano, Los Angeles

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