Maybe it's like the conference speakers. Now that everyone's getting flack if their conference doesn't have female speakers, but there's only a handful of successful female leaders in heavy rotation in the media, they can't go to everything so they inevitably turn stuff down.

As someone purporting to be a scientist I'm surprised you even contributed this anecdote to this discussion.

So, what's the point you're trying to make - that women are offered opportunities but turn them down, and therefore there is no problem?

Why?

Edit: I'm asking because @dnautics gave us an anecdote that doesn't add anything useful. Knowing why would be much more interesting, although still an anecdote.

interesting. Do you think they felt they weren't up to the task?