The implication is that they were chosen because of that, but not that this was the only qualification.

It could easily be that multiple teams looked qualified during bidding for the job and that this was the distinguishing factor.

No other qualification was mentioned. I've been maximally downvoted for my comment, but I stand by it. I stand by it as someone who prefers the company of queer people, and who's favorite programmer is trans (Justine Tunney, fwiw). Note: she is not my favorite trans programmer, she is my favorite programmer, who happens to be trans. Identity becomes a problem when it displaces everything else about a person - it dehumanizes, and in DEF CON's case, blinds them to the relevant strengths and weaknesses of a firm.

> No other qualification was mentioned.

That's because "ability to do the project" is a given. It is always a requirement, outside of specific corruption scenarios.

Are you really asserting that identity politics playing a role in vendor evaluations isn’t a corruption scenario?

Yes, as long as nobody's being paid off by Big Gay.

Ask HN: How can I get on the payroll of Big Gay?