As an English trainer (my other life) I get to walk into a whole bunch of companies and talk to a whole bunch of people. I once taught a lawyer who was paid less than her male counterpart and who was passed over for promotion (she said, for being female). I also taught a bookkeeper who said she daren’t have a photo of her kids on her desk, as she feared she wouldn’t be taken seriously by her male colleagues. There is a professor I know of who won’t shake hands with women. There is a board member at my (female) friend’s company who won’t invite women to meetings.
I realise that in itself this proves very little, but if you talk to enough people then you realise that there is definitely a sense of imbalance.
On the other hand, you’re right — it is politically correct and it does make good copy. For example I’m not sure what to think of women only conferences, or women only social networks. This seems too far the other direction.
All I think is that each individual should be judged on his or her merits.