Hacker News Reader

... That they prefer to speak in spaces that make an effort to be diverse, in solidarity with those from underrepresented groups?

Why take the least charitable view?

That the absence of people with particular attributes in a group is evidence of discrimination is a least charitable view that forms the axiom of policies that discriminate on lines like race or gender.

"He also confirmed that speakers like him have rules for participating in conferences, including only joining inclusive speaker lineups."

that they care about increasing diversity of the spaces where they're invited to talk.

I suppose it also says that they trusted the conference organizers and didn't do enough legwork to verify the fake speakers weren't fake, but it seems uncharitable to blame someone for that. Most people would have taken the claims at face value.

"Attracted by" seems disingenuous. More likely, top speakers (including male) want to know that the conference(s) they talk at put efforts into diversity. The same might also go for attendees.

that they're straight?