Because history didn't record it, we don't have a lot of female role models. There might be a couple of tea house owners on the side of the road somewhere, but we don't even know their names. Young women who want to practice see that all the major spiritual role models are male. The Pope is a man, God is a man, the three parts of the Trinity are men. Buddha is a man.
Most traditions are like that.
A great example of that is to go in for an interview with someone who, in our case, is very male and very strong, like Zen Master Seung Sahn. Oh Jane, yeah, good. You fall down. I must be off the track again. Because he believes his eyes, he can trust his experience.