[jlees]

You've missed my point entirely. To restate it more bluntly, being a presenting female at a conference can cause a mental impediment. Would I prefer to listen to a female speaker than a stutterer? Not if she were so paralysed by self-doubt that she gave a halting, unconfident, impossible to listen to talk.

[mgkimsal]

I didn't miss it at all. It's just not a good point. What about male presenters who get paralysed or nervous or have self-doubt in front of crowds?

I've seen few female presenters bomb, and the ones that did - there were much easier explanations - no or little experience public speaker, didn't understand the topic, etc. The ones I've seen who know the topic and the audience and have spoken before in public are fine - no better than men. I do have occasion to listen to male speakers who stutter, and while I know they're smart people - they know their subject well - they can not present.