Star Trek: 10 Ways The Klingons Have Developed Since The 1960s
7. The Klingon High Council -- Old Boys' Club
In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode Reunion, would-be chancellor Gowron offers K'Ehleyr a seat on the Klingon High Council, if she'll urge Picard to speed up the ja'chuq, the lengthy ritual in which candidates for chancellor prove their worthiness by reciting their accomplishments during the Rite of Succession.
However, in Star Trek: The Next Generation's Redemption and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's The House of Quark, it's stated that women may not serve on the Council. This is contradicted by the fact that two women, L'Rell in Star Trek: Discovery and Azetbur in Star Trek VI, have served as Chancellor.
In a 1997 AOL chat, Ronald D. Moore said he made the change to serve the plot of The House of Quark and to make the Klingons seem different from other Star Trek factions. He explained that they were a patriarchal society and while some aspects had changed, the High Council was still the province of men. However, he emphasized that no male Klingon would ever question the idea of fighting alongside women.