why the gender of someone trumps their talent or ability when hiring someone? It makes no sense to me. The BBC are suffering this at the moment. Book women for everything. Why not expand this to hair colour; eye colour? Skin colour is already important. Religion? Sexual inclination? World gone mad.

Class or classification has always existed, yet they try and fool themselves into thinking they can form a world of unity with so much segregation.
That said, I don't think we have moved on far enough in terms of female roles in what is predominantly men's work.
The worst thing you can say to people in those terms is 'They shouldn't or they can't'.

You and many of us on this forum know how the powers that be fail at getting the basics right by some standards.