Women vs Men in public with DSLRs

Is it just me or others, or do women look less intimidating in public with DSLR cameras and lenses than a man does? Do women look more innocent carrying a large DSLR in public?

Why does a 7D (or any DSLR) and a 70-200 look less intimidating on women than men?

There are some places that would shoo away a man, look at him strange, and view him as suspicious when they see him walking about with his gear. But a woman with the same gear... they'd just let her keep shooting. What are some opinions?