I really agree that social skills are the biggest missing component in effective engineering collaboration (because there are so many Loner Genius Nerds who refuse to use each others software but would rather rebuild a monument to themselves).

But I wish they wouldn't conflate this with the google memo though. That topic is already too muddled.

The three entirely distinct questions are:

1. Is lack of interest on average (due to genetics) a potential contributing factor to the male/female ratio in engineering?

2. Is asking that question (or expressing an opinion on it) a punishable offense? If so, when and why, and are both sides equally punishable, or only the conservative side?

3. Are social skills an undervalued in technology?

The reason the google memo instigated such a shitstorm is that it (and the ensuing debate) conflated questions 1 and 2.

One side was largely arguing that presenting gender-based-patterns in a scientific light (true or not) has negative psychological effects.

The other side was railing against the fact that a debate couldn't even happen because one side was being socially punished for even bringing up the question.