In reply to Anna J.

The lack of racial and gender diversity doesn’t bode well for a “diversity of thought” either. You cannot include the full breadth of experiences and ideas in a conference hosted primarily straight white dudes.

You also lose similar “diversity of thought” when the speakers don’t represent the diversity of the community. You wouldn’t go to a convention populated solely by women; we can’t possibly expect a woman or person of color attend a conference populated solely by white dudes.

So not only do we end up with less “diversity of thought” in the speakers with a conference like this, you end up with less “diversity of thought” in the attendees as well. This is… not good. For anyone.