[sp332]

the conference is quality in technology: nothing more, nothing less

There are things in life more important than tech conferences. Quality in tech should not override human rights, civil rights, people's health and relationships, etc. This could be a long list, tech isn't even close to the top.

The only number I've seen for this conference is one woman submitter out of 250, which isn't even close to matching the proportions of the community.

[adonnjohn]

Sorry for my lack of clarity. I believe that the ratios should align for sure, and I believe that if they don't, that due diligence wasn't done, potentially with some direct or indirect form of prejudice (which cannot be discerned without knowing the details of how recruitment efforts took place). I also don't mean to derail the importance of human rights or equality on any particular playing field, I literally just meant that tech is what people are going there to discuss and learn about. While human rights and reflecting community proportions is certainly a part of it, I highly doubt that the intent of any tech conference is to primarily give keynotes on human rights.

[sp332]

Well I could have been clearer too. Under the hyperbole, I meant that working to make sure women are treated equally to men might be more important than having a tech conference. As Mark Baker put it, "Diversity matters more to me than speaking."

[mpweiher]

Except there is no evidence here that women are treated unequally.

Well, that isn't actually true: the evidence is overwhelming that women are treated preferentially, and that this preferential treatment is now not just accepted, but actually so expected that not giving out this preferential treatment is seen as hostile.

Which is quite incredible, when you think about it.