The creation of a code of conduct in and of itself is offensive. If your community is bad enough that you need to remind people to not be assholes then your community already has a problem and it isn't going to be fixed by adding a CoC. It doesn't help that codes of conduct are often selectively enforced whenever it's a convenient way to expel people the "in group" doesn't like. I can't think of a time where I've seen a code of conduct actually do what it is meant to: create a better community, providing victims by providing them an escalation chain of authority to seek help from, and expelling actual assholes and people causing internal drama and a negative workplace/community. They're extremely good at creating a divisive community, driving away talented people who happen to be outside the "in group", and being used as a strictly political tool instead of a tool meant to foster a healthy community.
The inclusion of a code of conduct, to me, tells me there are political busybodies that want to seek political control of a group by citing good intentions. Because what kind of asshole would be against something telling people to not act like assholes, right? You can pass anything by painting anyone against it in a bad light. Many overreaching bills pass because no politician in their right mind would be against an act like "Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act" (FOSTA) or even a less polarizing title like "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001" (PATRIOT).
I don't think I've taken part in any community without a set of rules in all my years. Even 4chan has a "code of conduct". The creation of a code of conduct has not been considered offensive right up until a few years ago, where suddenly certain groups of people started objecting to communities having rules even as simple as "don't be an asshole".
Although the distinction is minimal - there is some nuance between "Rules" and a "Code of Conduct". Not only in the kinds of things they address but also in the directions they are enforced. As one example of the difference in nuance, there is no such thing as "backseat moderation" of a Code of Conduct. In fact, "backseat moderation" is almost the point of a CoC! A CoC is meant to not only apply bidirectionally but also allow Users to moderate other Users and provide them a means to do so. Rules, on the other hand, are usually enforced against Users by Moderators in one direction and Users trying to moderate other Users "per the rules" is often frowned upon as "backseat moderation".
>The creation of a code of conduct has not been considered offensive right up until a few years ago
I respectfully disagree. The number of occurrences where a code of conduct is implemented only to swiftly be abused for political reasons has certainly increased in the last few years, which may have something to do with the increase of people sharing my viewpoint. But I've held this viewpoint for at least the past 15 years, so it certainly isn't a new position to hold.
The creation of a code of conduct in and of itself is offensive. If your community is bad enough that you need to remind people to not be assholes then your community already has a problem and it isn't going to be fixed by adding a CoC. It doesn't help that codes of conduct are often selectively enforced whenever it's a convenient way to expel people the "in group" doesn't like. I can't think of a time where I've seen a code of conduct actually do what it is meant to: create a better community, providing victims by providing them an escalation chain of authority to seek help from, and expelling actual assholes and people causing internal drama and a negative workplace/community. They're extremely good at creating a divisive community, driving away talented people who happen to be outside the "in group", and being used as a strictly political tool instead of a tool meant to foster a healthy community.
The inclusion of a code of conduct, to me, tells me there are political busybodies that want to seek political control of a group by citing good intentions. Because what kind of asshole would be against something telling people to not act like assholes, right? You can pass anything by painting anyone against it in a bad light. Many overreaching bills pass because no politician in their right mind would be against an act like "Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act" (FOSTA) or even a less polarizing title like "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001" (PATRIOT).