"There have been steps taken by Pope Francis that at least reduce the many ways in which women in the church (as religious and as faithful Catholics) have been silenced, ostracized, deliberately not looked at, kept behind a veil as surely as a woman in a full hijab."

Really?  Has that changed anything?  Not that I have seen.  When he was making that a speech about women the photos were of him and only men.  If he believed his own words he must start where he lives.  Are we still waiting a thousand years from now?  Probably, if the Catholic church imploded and women went to Woman-church.  Even the Jews have women rabies and a woman who  is Orthodox and she copies the scroll, the first woman to do that in over three thousand year.  They have done something about the integration of women.  We don't have women priests or deacons.  And I have not heard about a woman updating the New Testament.  Note:  Women still have to wear hijabs.