Except it's not one side saying equality and the other saying ethics. It's one side saying things ranging from nothing at all to things like "hey, they game conferences are kind of unpleasant for women -- can you do something about that?" or "hey, guess what? there are lots of women buying games! isn't that cool!" and the other side shitting themselves, coming up with the idea that OMG these people who are okay with women playing games must be unethical, and actively harrassing them.

Because bashing someone by pretending that they're a radical feminist is an easier sell than bashing them because OMG! they thing that maybe it would be nice if the gaming world were a little friendlier to women.