> much worse for members of minorities, or people from different cultural backgrounds, in particular ones where losing face is a major issue This is true, and

> much worse for members of minorities, or people from different cultural backgrounds, in particular ones where losing face is a major issue This is true, and a huge issue. Even being white, western, between 30 and 40, but female instead of male can expose you to huge amounts of abuse. It's a big problem for people who come from cultures where people making your mistakes personal is considered extremely aggressive and offensive. Even in international organisations with experience in this sort of thing it can be delicate to work with different cultures and expectations. Open source communities have almost no sensitivity for this - people (Linus included) seem to operate under the assumption that they have the right to say anything they like with no responsibility for how people might be affected. No one needs to censor themselves all the time, but you have to recognize that when you work with a team or a community you have to understand and respect the people you are talking to, especially if you hold a prominent position.