In my opinion, the main reason young women are not flocking to technical jobs today is that there are many other career paths open to women now.  When I entered the field there were very few careers outside of teaching and nursing where a woman was almost treated equally based on job performance.  I say "almost" because the very large company I worked for in the 1970s had a policy of adding 10% to the salary of men (because they had families to support).  

While many things have changed, it is still more difficult being a woman on a technical team.  It is still a "boys club" in many ways.  The small technical company I am currently associated with has men's golf outings and men's poker games and other socializing where women are not invited.  Also, it isn't an eight hour a day job.  Some work simply has to be done off-hours, and that is more difficult for women who have small children.  However, there are ways to stay in the field if you love it.  There is flex time; there is telecommuting; there is independent contracting.

If I had to do it all over again, would I enter the field?  Absolutely.  I often marvel that I have been paid so well for doing something that is so much fun.

Oldtimer.