Chess, like other nerd-based gated communities, has a super-virulent streak of misogyny in it. MENSA, hell, D&D forums. I was an administrator back in the day at a very (very) large RPG forum, and the caliber of misogyny you could find at the drop of a hat was astounding. This was pre-Gamergate. Nerd boys take their ball and leave when it comes to women in "their" territory, quite viciously.