-The author claims that criticism is misguided, because we don't know the ratio of men to women who pitched or work in the industry.
-The author doesn't seem to know either.
-Insofar as criticism of conference excluding women is uninformed, the defense that the author provides is equally uninformed.
If there are fewer women speaking, applying to speak, or in the industry as a whole, there's a reason why. It seems to me we should spend less time going back and forth with vague abstractions, and more time looking for the underlying cause. Anything else is just cheap uninformed opinion. In this case, it's probably just linkbait.
In my mind, the author is the one pointing out the lack of industry data. Just because she doesn't provide it does not mean her core argument -- that quotas undermine the empowerment of women by devaluing their hard work and talent -- is invalid. It just means that, ultimately, we still need more data.
I vote for link bait though I believe the author is authentic in her frustration. I like the suggestions at the end of her article.
To share a personal reflection, I just applied to speak at a conference in June. I submitted two ideas and I have many more I could share. I would love if the conference organizers were interested in diversity of viewpoints and gave me feedback that would allow my topic to be accepted. I think there is a nuance here between a handout and a handup.
It's the same experience I have applying to accelerators. I want to make it into the next YC class but I may not, not because of my race and gender but that I don't know the technique. Teach me to fish. I will be the captain of fishing.
-The author doesn't seem to know either.
-Insofar as criticism of conference excluding women is uninformed, the defense that the author provides is equally uninformed.
If there are fewer women speaking, applying to speak, or in the industry as a whole, there's a reason why. It seems to me we should spend less time going back and forth with vague abstractions, and more time looking for the underlying cause. Anything else is just cheap uninformed opinion. In this case, it's probably just linkbait.