I'm not sure if it is Python or Gentoolkit/Equery or the single ebuilds that has this problem. The problem is equery u <ebuild name> do not show use flags as requested but Python errors. This DO NOT HAPPEN with ALL the ebuilds, just some.

After some testing it appear that the only equery switch afflicted is "u", all the others seems to work just fine.

Examples:equery u gdm
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python-exec/python3.9/equery", line 38, in <module>
    equery.main(sys.argv)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/gentoolkit/equery/_init_.py", line 356, in main
    loaded_module.main(module_args)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/gentoolkit/equery/uses.py", line 306, in main
    output = get_output_descriptions(pkg, global_usedesc)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/gentoolkit/equery/uses.py", line 186, in get_output_descriptions
    local_usedesc = pkg.metadata.use()
  File "/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/gentoolkit/metadata.py", line 286, in use
    for node in self._xml_tree.getiterator('flag'):
AttributeError: 'ElementTree' object has no attribute 'getiterator'

--------

equery u strongswan
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python-exec/python3.9/equery", line 38, in <module>
    equery.main(sys.argv)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/gentoolkit/equery/_init_.py", line 356, in main
    loaded_module.main(module_args)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/gentoolkit/equery/uses.py", line 306, in main
    output = get_output_descriptions(pkg, global_usedesc)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/gentoolkit/equery/uses.py", line 186, in get_output_descriptions
    local_usedesc = pkg.metadata.use()
  File "/usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/gentoolkit/metadata.py", line 286, in use
    for node in self._xml_tree.getiterator('flag'):
AttributeError: 'ElementTree' object has no attribute 'getiterator'

--------

Here two examples where it works:

equery u gentoolkit
[ Legend : U - final flag setting for installation]
[        : I - package is installed with flag     ]
[ Colors : set, unset                             ]
 * Found these USE flags for app-portage/gentoolkit-0.5.0-r2:
 U I
 - - python_targets_python3_10 : <unknown>
 + + python_targets_python3_7  : <unknown>
 - - python_targets_python3_8  : <unknown>
 + + python_targets_python3_9  : <unknown>
 - - test                      : Workaround to pull in packages needed to run
                                 with FEATURES=test. Portage-2.1.2 handles this
                                 internally, so don't set it in
                                 make.conf/package.use anymore

equery u python
[ Legend : U - final flag setting for installation]
[        : I - package is installed with flag     ]
[ Colors : set, unset                             ]
 * Found these USE flags for dev-lang/python-3.9.15:
 U I
 - - bluetooth : Enable Bluetooth Support
 - - build     : !Unable to render embedded object: File (internal use only) not found.! DO NOT SET THIS FLAG YOURSELF!, used for
                 creating build images and the first half of bootstrapping
                 [make stage1]
 - - examples  : Install examples, usually source code
 + + gdbm      : Add support for sys-libs/gdbm (GNU database libraries)
 - - hardened  : Activate default security enhancements for toolchain (gcc,
                 glibc, binutils)
 - - libedit   : Use the libedit library (replacement for readline)
 - - lto       : <unknown>
 + + ncurses   : Add ncurses support (console display library)
 - - pgo       : <unknown>
 + + readline  : Enable support for libreadline, a GNU line-editing library
                 that almost everyone wants
 + + sqlite    : Add support for sqlite - embedded sql database
 + + ssl       : Add support for Secure Socket Layer connections
 - - test      : Workaround to pull in packages needed to run with
                 FEATURES=test. Portage-2.1.2 handles this internally, so don't
                 set it in make.conf/package.use anymore
 - - tk        : Add support for Tk GUI toolkit
 - - wininst   : <unknown>
 + + xml       : Add support for XML files