Actually, I disagree that people don't give a damn about gender in the choice of bandmates. The choice of bandmates rarely is just about who the best musician is--it has to do with compatability, with their commitment to the type of music the band plays, with their availability, and sometimes, the musician's gender. I personally know of several circumstances where women musicians have been overlooked because male musicians in the band assumed they would quit the band or slow them down because of child bearing/rearing.