I may have experienced what it is like to be a woman in a man's world. I was shopping for sheet metal screws at the local home improvement center and went into the store looking for the aisle where they kept them. I had my current garb on which is casual femme, slacks, pony tail and earrings. I had a black Land's End nylon shoulder bag which is sort of femme but sold as unisex.
I turned down the aisle and started looking for my items. About a minute later, a male store clerk comes into the aisle and asks me if I can find what I am looking for. Well, I've been buying these screws regularly for 12 years so I nod negative and he leaves. There were two guys in the aisle with me but he didn't ask them.
About three minutes later he comes back and asks "Are you sure you can find what you need?" I said I could and he left again. Again, there were these two guys there and no questions were asked towards them. I figure he thought, "Here comes some woman, looking for something that she doesn't understand. So I'll help her."
It flustered me and I suddenly couldn't remember the name of the screws I needed. If he came back a third time, I would not be able to describe them! I was getting very nervous.
I considered leaving but I had to get those screws. Finally, I did find them and all was fine. I have never had such a time in a hardware department. If this is what women go through in there, I am so sympathetic now!