Kurina: ... It is a shame they don't realize they are hurting women more than helping them...
I don't know the people responsible for the canceling, so I can only guess, but I guess...
... that they are aware of these consequences, they just don't care. If they are opportunists who fight in the name of the "oppressed minority" for their own benefits, actually helping the "oppressed" is the last thing they would want to happen.
Kurina: ... It would also risk ruining the narrative that women aren't welcomed in the industry... My best guess is half these men will be replaced by "social justice" women who have only ever made one shovelware game and claim they know how to fix the entire game industry.
Thinking about it, one or two would be enough. Some of the original panelists will not make it on the rescheduled meeting anyway (statistically pretty much sure thing, they are very busy sort of people), some of the rest perhaps refuse to be part of this politicking, and "SJW" narrative get another story about misogyny in gaming industry along the way of: "X, Y and Z refused to attend meeting with female participant(s) ."
If someone planned it this way, it's actually pretty smart move.