Photo: The allegedly offending hand gesture from Renault Korea. Credit: Renault Korea.
Despite international mockery, South Korea’s young misogynists are continuing their witch hunt for perceived insults - most recently, a hand gesture supposedly intended to mock the size of their genitals. Their latest target: Renault Korea’s announcement of the latest model of its Grand Koleos crossover SUV. Their pretext: a YouTube video uploaded June 27, in which a woman employee of Renault makes the gesture while explaining the features of the new car.
In the face of online outrage, Renault Korea took down the video and issued an apology, stating that the video was contrary to its “diversity and inclusion” policy. Stephane Deblaise, the head of Renault Korea, issued an internal memo stating that Renault “does not tolerate any type of discrimination” and saying that the woman employee in question will be placed on administrative leave while the company conducts an internal review.
Renault is the latest corporation to play possum when attacked by an incel witch hunt, in hopes of making the fake controversy blow over with a speedy capitulation. But the continuing vigilance of incels alert for any inadvertent hand gesture shows that they will not be so easily mollified.
The French automaker’s surrender is especially ill-considered: online incels pose less of a threat to a seller of imported cars than they do to their local convenience stores. It is also more than a little bit galling to see a European company appropriating the language of diversity and inclusion while it folds like a cheap suit in the face of baseless sexist attacks.
