Do you think the recent "Inappropriate comments at Pycon 2013 called out" thread contributed to that mixed bag in a good way?

I worded that carefully. I don't want to draw out sides on that thread topic, just whether it contributed to an educational atmosphere and meaningful discussion on HN.

I think it's a discussion that needs to take place. I am not sure HN is the place to do it, but where else?

It's a necessary discussion insofar as it was major news and will have a non-trivial effect on how gender-identity is interpreted and argued within the community.

Agreed, I love the diversity which is why I continue reading HN.

I like a good balance of topics, keeps things interesting (and more importantly, continues to get me interested in other subjects / topics).

I feel like the role of diversity is better served by a place like reddit.