Some people like to base their identity on the intrinsic elements of their genetics or demographics. Other people prefer to base their identities on their actions, interests and achievements.

It's merely my hunch that most HN users are in the latter group and are perhaps turned off by the idea of identifying people primarily by demographic or genetic factors. This does not invalidate the discussion but is my hunch as to why many people may have flagged it nonetheless.

Someone in that thread argued that it's naïve "if you don't believe that people naturally discriminate for people who look like them." People might, but I'd hope that the smart, usually rational and mostly intellectual crowd that HN attracts isn't the average joe on the street. Female, male, fat, thin, black, white, gay, straight and in-between.. I want to work and socialize with the best people and while I am not blind to the genetic hand you were dealt, it doesn't figure into my heuristics.