California venture capitalist apologizes for saying women in tech should 'hide their gender'

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KGO) -- A venture capitalist in California is apologizing for telling women in tech to hide their gender to gain equal treatment.

Santa Barbara businessman John Greathouse wrote a controversial Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal where he suggested to young women, "In your Linkedin, Twitter account, email address and online correspondence, use your initials or a unisex name and eliminate photos."

Greathouse is an investor. He says implicit bias against women in tech is so strong that they should hide their identity if they want equal treatment.

"They should hide their identifies if they want equal treatment. Wait, what? The backlash has been fierce, guys. The author, John Greathouse has posted what may be one of the fastest apologies in Twitter history," said "Good Morning America" correspondent Becky Worley.

Greathouse apologized, saying he's sorry he told women to endure gender bias rather than fixing it. The statement reads:

"I apologize for the dreadful article I wrote in the WSJ. I told women to endure the gender bias problem rather than acting to fix the problem. I hurt women and I utterly failed to help, which I wholly regret and I apologize for having done. Women have a tough enough time having their voices heard and my insensitive comments only made matters worse. I am truly sorry. - John"