I don't jump in here very often anymore, but I think one of the points being overlooked in the discussion is the primary aspect of a mentor/mentee relationship - it's not the technical stuff, it's the other stuff - the social side, the networking, the obstacles, the exposure, the who you know, the unwritten rules, etc. These mentors are female and their primary target audience is female because that is who the mentors feel need their specific expertise and who they can provide the best and most appropriate assitance/advice to.
Well said.
Another important function of a mentor is to serve as a role model, which is only effective if a child reasonably thinks that they have a chance to grow up like the role model. The correct gender can be an instant disqualifier.
And it goes both ways... the child must identify with the mentor, and the mentor must identify with the child. Since boys and girls have completely different social experiences...
