In OP's analogy, a new male applicant has no edge over a new female applicant. He's still faced with an overcrowded escalator. In the real world, things can be

In OP's analogy, a new male applicant has no edge over a new female applicant. He's still faced with an overcrowded escalator. In the real world, things can be quite different of course, and the analogy doesn't reflect that very well.