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Yeah, optics matter, but a reasonable person might take your comment as saying "optics matter more than merit".

Your last sentence doesn't follow. Maybe you could replace a sexist old man with a man who isn't sexist?

I would rejoinder with: the optics are the merit. These are only board members, after all.

Maybe you could replace a sexist old man with a man who isn't sexist?

This is not testable. Move what you can measure.

Ok, so how do you test that a female hire isn't racist?

By not moving the goalposts.