Because women in male dominated fields are typically not taken as seriously, need to do more than others for similar recognition, have few role models that look like them, often receive anti-women sentiment or even unwanted sexual advances along the way, are often told how they should or shouldn’t act in ways that their male colleagues don’t get, along with many other differences that men don’t have. It doesn’t have to be only women who receive such treatment — other minorities have their own experiences as such.

I’m curious what you even mean here as against the odds? If it’s a technical masterpiece, both a man and a women can equally be recognized by IEEE for that hard work. But if it’s a woman, than you also need to recognize there’s been many other hardships along the way in addition to the technical brilliance needed. It’s not patronizing at all — that would be if I were to suggest a woman isn’t as capable. Here it’s the opposite — I’m saying they’re just as capable, but society is setup in such a way to present many additional obstacles that men don’t have. To not recognize that is to ignore the realities of the world.

If you yourself are a woman or a minority, I’m sure you can appreciate that. If not, I’d encourage you to go and listen to the experiences of those who are — this is very well documented.