Looks like the men felt threatened. Ashley Smashley Cummins was too badass for them. MMA fighter and cop? Damn she is cool.
Men specifically are susceptible to feeling threatened by women in a position of power. (Hence why so many cultures and religions prevent women from having a higher status than men) And amre much more likely to look for ways to make the person seem less like a threat. Popular methods include sexual objectification and bullying in the workplace. Negligence and passive homicide are extreme though.
Yeah. It's the relative status and how we detect an "easy target." If it is smaller and/or female, it is an easy target to dominate. Which usually involves bluffing or taking food in chimps, but can turn to violence. Females who are too assertive are killed. Plus, females do it too. Just less so as they generally have more to lose and less means to win with. I'd say we came a long way, but not long enough.