Finningley Boy,
"The question I would ask is; why was 50% of the population, across the Globe, ignored in the first place? "
I really can't believe that you are serious, but JUST in case you are, maybe because for hundreds of years women were treated either as second class citizens or non citizens with no rights at all. They were not allowed to own property, not allowed to vote, could not enter a public library and were seen as the property of men. THAT is the legacy that has left so much discrimination and under representation in this world and even in this country. And that is why this attempt to appeal to the just over 50% of the population is a terrific idea and should be applauded.
There are an awful lot of men, and many on this forum, who see a 10% female representation as being OK, anything over that and the "wimmin and femmministas are getting bolshy..."