I also thought the "Then you should write one!" was annoying. Very flip, kinda presented as encouraging (and I think it probably was -- you'd probably write good stuff), but also just divesting themselves of responsibility, not noticing how difficult it is to get published, not realizing that not everyone wants to be an author (not saying that you do or don't, just that saying "Then you should write one!" makes a strong assumption about the answer), not realizing that some of us want to buy books and support authors and don't have time to write books, and being unwilling to make the effort to understand a whole class of humans.

Everyone should be represented in fiction; authors don't have infinite time. Those are the sources of the tension, right? Authors have to pick and choose. But if everyone tends in a single direction because of "choice", it becomes questionable if that's really a choice and if the choices made are a good thing. As you said.

I also think Janet was out of her depth, so she was struggling with the issues. I think she was dealing with that by being flip and, in a way, defensive. Not dealing with being challenged very well.

p.s. My name's Rachel. I kinda wanted to talk to you at the con, but I got nervous and tongue-tied and feeling inferior. Hope it's okay I'm posting to your LJ.