Maybe initially things are fine--the balance is skewed, but it happens to reflect the individual choice, regardless of gender, regarding what field to go into.

Maybe initially things are fine--the balance is skewed, but it happens to reflect the individual choice, regardless of gender, regarding what field to go into. It becomes a problem when an environment is created that perpetuates the situation--when a subtle attitude shift interrupts promising careers. If women who would enjoy programming careers are made to feel uncomfortable and subsequently leave the field, the world suffers. Imagine you are purple. You are in a room filled with green people and a green lecturer. The lecturer's presentation is nothing but slides of purple people making goofy faces. All evening, everyone who approaches tries to get you to tell a joke. You try and show your new project off, but no one seems to take it seriously. You object in private conversations afterward, and the green people all tell you they weren't offended--what's the big deal?