I've also heard that some women prefer this system, that the chance of them being harassed is much lower in a segregated environment. I am also not a chess guy, but having been to many Magic tourneys, I can totally understand the thought process.

I think what also reinforces this cycle is external and internal(!) stereotypes.

Additionally, because you have fewer strong female players, and since they segregate the game, you therefore also have fewer strong female teachers and role models.

There is also a very strange dynamic between kids and teens starting in elementary school where the boys often drive out the girls from specific activities. It's only anecdotal but I've seen it twice here in my neighborhood. In the school and in the community center a higher ranked chess player offeres free courses to teach the kids chess.

None of the girls stay when they are offered a more friendly environment like the dance class. Because you will always have a group of boys socialised to be more aggressive (pulling hair, being ultra competitive, etc.) and girls being socialised to rather avoid conflict. I know many boys also don't like this atmosphere but they will be more like "I need to be more like the other boys since I am a boy" while the girls we be like "I don't fit in here since I am a girl".

Sorry for the rant.

I'm not 100% sure but I don't think chess is segregated - women are allowed to play in the top tournaments. There are additional women-only tournaments which are an attempt to make chess more attractive to them.

Theres also a thing with it relating to age.

Preteen girls completely destroy there male same age opponents. For professional female chessplayers that is when there in their prime and it deceases in adulthood.

This became a self reinforcing cycle as women who used to be high ranked just stopped playing later on, which is one of the reasons the extra titles for women where invented. An attempt to offset this difference.

Of course by now we are also well aware that male centric spaces can be super toxic to women and this affects motivation and willingness to be involved. We have to remember that before the internet the only way to play was in person.

Women allowed to compete with the men, and they do. This thread is nuts.

There are women's competitions because the unrestricted competitions are still dominated by men, and the restricted tournaments allow us to acknowledge the best women to generate excitement for chess from other women. To show them that there are women excelling at this game.