Great question, Matt. First, I do not want to be seen as only a “woman nature photographer” but I know from a range of situations that women have a distinct experience in this field, so I think the topic is worth discussing. And while misogyny and paternalism are not necessarily pervasive, many women encounter enough gender-specific negative experiences to discourage them from engaging more deeply in this field.
I also know that, as I referenced in my response to Cody above, that my gender has been an advantage in some cases. I think it is important to discuss both the opportunities and challenges in any honest conversation about this topic. (I hadn’t heard of the competition example you cite. Wow! I am interested in learning more about it. While I do not know enough to comment directly on the situation, it is fascinating that this has happened with regard to a woman winning an award when so many competition results are utterly confounding yet the winning men would never be accused of the same thing. For comparison, I was involved in one major competition where the winner was very close friends with one of the final round judges, who did not recuse himself and most definitely recognized the photos during the judging process, and that situation was just quietly seen as how things work in the field.)
As you mentioned, I am married to a nature photographer. (I also used to work in a woman-dominated field, so I have that point of stark comparison, too.) Ron is opinionated and direct. When he was on Facebook, he posted all sorts of things that offended other photographers. And, based on my observations and comments other people have made in response, this approach to public communication bolstered his reputation among many of our peers. To my knowledge, Ron has never received comments about his appearance or his voice. He has never received an email from colleagues saying, essentially, “you should tone down your opinions to protect your reputation.” I have never seen his expertise or competence be questioned. He has never been on the receiving end of sexual harassment or unwanted advances from a photography colleague.
My experience has been different. I have received a slew of nasty messages, especially about my (free!) webinars and YouTube videos, including how it sounds like I am growling when I speak and that I am painfully boring (direct quotes). While I have not received direct comments about my appearance, female friends have (and in some cases, it has been abusive harassment). When I am teaching (online, in person, and at photo clubs), I regularly have my competence questioned, had people assume I am some sort of assistant, or been on the receiving end of the most basic (unsolicited) technical advice. I have direct experience with a company saying essentially “we would have women ambassadors if they were good enough photographers.” I have seen how competitions sometimes discourage women from entering in the first place and then institute judging processes that minimize the value of the type of photographs that are seen as “too feminine” (whether or not they are taken by women or men). And, I know that gender-based harassment can take place in spaces that should be safe and welcoming, like small-group workshops.
And, finally, I think the hardest part of being a woman in this field is always feeling like an outsider. Until the last few years, I was almost always the only woman in a group of men whenever I was gathered with other photographers. While nearly all of these men as individuals have been welcoming and friendly to me, I have never felt like I am part of the group. Being a perpetual outsider has worn me down in a lot of ways.
All these single incidents, built up over time, can lead to feeling invisible and unwelcome. I am sure some men have similar experiences, so I don’t think these dynamics, online especially, are exclusive to women. Women just seem to consistently experience these dynamics and I know that some of these factors have kept some of my very talented colleagues from achieving their full potential. For example, why do so few women use YouTube as a means of communication? For a lot of the reasons above, and cutting off that channel of communication means missing out on all sorts of opportunities. I have a lot more to say on this very complex topic but will leave it here for now.