Female photographers ARE underrepresented in this type of photography and it’s a strange thing. I think you make a great point about being expected to push boundaries to a degree as a male. Especially the point you make on safety; as a large male, that’s something I take for granted so often, even knowing what I know from female friends of mine.
I would say we all have different problems but not necessarily less of them. I’m a large, black male. I’m pretty intimidating. A lot of people, especially women but not just, get very uncomfortable when approached. I can see the fear of “creepy sexual male” or “unknown black stranger” being played out in their expression a lot of the time. Children are also nearly off-limits in US culture. Even holding a camera near a group of kids gets you looks.
Also, I think photos of strangers is just a difficult genre, no matter who you are. Sometimes I get smiles, sometimes I get flat expressions, sometimes I get no’s. Our sex is part of the mental calculus of our target, as is our personality, nationality, dress, their culture towards men/women/photography, their mood, etc.
I don’t know if the Medium allows links, but I thought of this great interview with a female photographer whose work and thoughts you might enjoy.
