Margaret Wertheim's book "Pythagoras's Trousers" discusses this issue. The contention there is that it's not just about this sterotype, it's also about a deeply

Margaret Wertheim's book "Pythagoras's Trousers" discusses this issue. The contention there is that it's not just about this sterotype, it's also about a deeply entrenched anti-female culture. The gender bias problem can't be fixed simply by reversing this stereotype; it goes much deeper than that. It's not whether women can do it or not; it's blindingly obvious that they can. It's that significant numbers of them are put off by the culture and either cut their careers short or don't start one at all.