This is perhaps not even tangentially related to the discussion — which must remain centred on the board — but I felt like I had to respond to your message as a member of the project for the last decade or so. Emily Gonyer wrote:
I have taken a huge step away from the project over the last couple of years, because as far as I can tell the CoC doesn't seem to matter to most of the project.
openSUSE, like the rest of the tech world would love to pretend and believe it is open and welcoming. But, it's not. It is, of course, if you're the right kind of person.
Who, in your insinuation, are the "right kind of person"? Perhaps I misunderstand — I hope I do, but to me it sounds like you want to paint most, if not all, members who have been welcomed into the project (without too much "questioning", as you put it) as these no-good "right kind of people".
If you're not? Well then. The project will accept your contributions, if it must. It'll accept you as a member... After a LOT of questioning. But, no, it doesn't really want you around.
I respect your experience, which sounds like it was not a very good one and sympathise with you. On the other hand, I have nothing but fond memories of the time I welcomed into the community — this was maybe some fifteen years ago — and since. Was not in the western hemisphere at the time, had an obviously non-Western name and nick — still do, with English not my first language, was fairly stupid (still am), etc. So, I wonder of whom does this homogenous "right kind of people" comprise? And, likewise, who are these "not the right kind" of people? I want to understand because maybe, with more clarity, the membership process can be improved. Best wishes, -- Atri