Hello there
This is my first post here, I heard about this thread on Twitter so had to join in.
Astronomy is for everybody, be they man, woman or child. Astronomy and an empathy with the night sky was a natural knowledge for ancient peoples.
Today in the 21st century bringing astronomy back to the people with no gender bias is I think a noble task.
People are people, some are interested in astronomy, and some would never give it a second thought.
In my experience everyone who looks through my telescope at the moon or whatever the target is are in awe and want to know more. Astronomy clubs populated by men or women have an important role to play in this, especially in IYA 2009.
Why there are fewer women in astronomy clubs is it seems a global phenomenon.
The reasons, family commitments certainly are a factor, but I think the main reason is based in the history of education. The sciences were for many decades swung toward the male students.
These days science education is more balanced and women are encouraged to study in that area and become scientists in many aspects of the word. Have you not noticed the increasing proportion of women working in the space business?
For the most part I would not make generalizations about women or men’s personality traits or tastes in movie stars, or gadget preferences. Each person is an individual with many facets; each person brings something special to the world and to their families.
It is my belief that every single child should be given the opportunity to understand the planet they live on, and the sky they look at day or night. Outreach can help to educate, and perhaps address the gender balance in astronomy.
Deirdre
https://twitter.com/skysketcher