My basic observation during my time in academia was that women and minorities had to get over a higher bar to succeed. If they did get over that bar, they were treated pretty well. Basically I mean it was harder for them to join the club, but once they got in it was ok for them.
...adding, I didn't meant to suggest that once past the hiring and tenure stages academia becomes a shining example of utopian gender equality. I just meant that it was very clear to me that women did have to be that much better to succeed at those times. Post-tenure, from what I've seen, women are accepted members of the club, but that's not the same thing as saying that magically all of the gender issues disappear then. The original bit of this post incorporated low expectations too much, as in "well they're treated pretty well once they get over those hurdles," with "pretty well" meaning "not clear discrimination all the time."
