There *is* a fundamental problem that a project like Artemis Rising runs face first into. It's that assumption that Varsha made in his first question...and it's one I see every time someone asks a version of this question. It's a trap I fell into myself, once upon a time.
Long ago, I picked up a paperback sci-fi anthology that highlighted female writers. I paid my 75¢, took it home, and started reading. And I hated it.
The opening essay seemed to drone on and on about how unfair the market was, and by the time I got to the stories, I was primed for the Most Amazing Undiscovered Treasures Ever...but I was ultimately disappointed, and put that book away. I thought to myself, "I don't think that collection was a great example of women writing sci-fi," and thought about it every time this very subject came up.
Years later, after I had developed my own tastes, and come to enjoy a variety of writers, I found that I had a special place in my heart for certain authors - Le Guin, McCaffery, Judith Merrill - and I started using those examples to interject into conversations about highlighting under-represented groups, particularly women, in fiction.
But it bothered me to remember that terrible book I had rattling around in my closets, knowing that it was a counter example to the whole idea of quality writing from women. Eventually, it occurred to me that I should give that book another try. Maybe it would give me some new insight, and maybe I would enjoy it more with my now-refined tastes. Or maybe it really was just an unfortunate collection of poor writers chosen just for their gender, and I could argue that we have better writers to highlight, now.
That book was called
Women of Wonder.
And when I found it, and looked at the table of contents, I learned a very valuable lesson about implicit bias.
So, whatever criticism I hear people throw at EA for doing this, I see how important it is. We don't need to "lower standards" to get an awesome collection together. But if we want awesome people to keep writing, they need to see that they will be valued.
And by the way, one story from that collection
ran on Pseudopod, and was included in the
Science Fiction Hall of Fame, so... it is sometimes worth challenging your own assumptions.