Can HN be toxic? Absolutely.<p>Was it toxic in the situation the author was describing? I think reasonable people can have a discussion about this, but for arguments sake let’s say yes.<p>Is HN generally a positive non toxic environment? Yep! Hugely so.<p>HN is a remarkably diverse community. Perhaps not always from a gender perspective, but definitely in terms of background and means. I can personally attest to this as I run a mentoring program, and I tend to mostly get sign ups from HN, and they have been from all over the world.<p>I get that we as a community aren’t always perfect. Sometimes that’s rooted in our own biases and backgrounds. However, those comments lead to discussion, which may shape or alter the perspective of someone who had a different set of experiences, thus leading to a better future. Growth comes from points of discomfort, not from sitting on the side lines.<p>If I could ask one thing to every HN lurker and commenter is to continue to be open minded. Ask questions. Be thoughtful. Be respectful. Continually seek to grow.<p>We’re always going to be imperfect as a community, and that’s by design. All we can hope to do is be better today than we were yesterday. And better tomorrow than we were today.