My take on this - based on my complaints about these types of things being dismissed multiple times to the point of me no longer being a reviewer, editor, moderator … or really even a particularly active member … is that it is very possible to create a hostile environment without specific posts that can be flagged as ‘harassing’. In fact, based on my own and others experiences, you are more likely to be flagged by getting upset and trying to stop harassment here than by actually harassing.
Since your days as a reviewer, editor, moderator, things have changed. I remember those days well (I have been around since 2007) I specifically remember two nasty occasions vividly, and I can tell you that in the aftermath the general attitude and understanding took a turn for the best. Things had to change if the Watch wanted to keep and attract female players. (And I made a strong case for that change.)
The new TOS in 2016 was one of the results.
I remember once working at an all male office where pin-ups were on the wall. I was new and was introduced to every co-worker. The boss saw those pin-ups and said: ‘Get away with them right now, we don’t want this environment for a woman’. Being a young rookie and eager not to get any annoyance from my new colleagues I muttered: ‘I don’t mind!’. And I really did not mind.
But off they went, those posters, and no one ever uttered any negativity about it.
I guess they knew better than young me that the ambience, the appearance, says something about how women are treated there.
As a moderator I am very keen to make sure RPGWatch is a neutral place were women are less likely to have reservations retaining them from participating.
As a woman arriving at an unknown place full of men it will always be a bit scary when taking the first jump, but having sexism, objectification or harassment as clear flags in threads certainly does not help, so when moderating I always try to imagine how a new visitor would assess the situation, without knowing anything about the person making the specific remark.
In short, I think your words mostly apply to the past. Having (again) a female moderator at the power buttons helps as well.
Mind you, as a moderator I don’t get any opposition from what you call ‘the management’, on the contrary, I feel nothing but support from @Myrthos; and other team members. Yes, there are debates, there are differences in opinion, but not about the importance of how women here are to be treated and what (not) to condone in that area. That, I think, seen from my perspective, has changed in any case.