Firstly, "Lots of well-meaning people in the tech industry are giving free things to girls." I don't think this stretches to giving unqualified non-programmers programming jobs (which is the inference I'm taking from the piece). I also don't think it's as industry-destroying as OP suggests. I do believe that there's a possibility that some companies try harder to find qualified women so that it's more likely that a less qualified man gets pushed out, but that's not at all the same as "free stuff".
Secondly, programming is difficult. I went to school to learn how to do it, even though I started way back in my teens. Lots of other folk on here went to school for it too. Like any skilled technical job, you wouldn't expect to pick your way through the minefield of complex concepts, principles, and fundamentals and just whack away at tools until you get what you want. It's hard, so anyone who blames some arbitrary selection criteria because they're underqualified should look at the underqualified bit before the other criteria.
It's hard knowing that you're not good enough to follow your dream. The solution is to get better, not blame someone else.
However, the author is saying that we shouldn't give out any opportunities because programming is supposed to be hard.
I see that as equivalent to saying programming should be restricted to the wealthiest, most privileged of society: those who can afford to take the risk and time and expense of overcoming any inherent obstacles.
The latter case is absolutely worse.
Ways of supporting people into the industry need to be found (ideally, equally), rather than complaining about and pissing on existing efforts.
