History of Women Players

I once read that 80 to 90 percent of Holly Tannen students were women. If you look at current photos of workshops, festivals etc. most are women. Historically has this always been the case or was there a period of time where more men played than women?

Also I have heard that long ago women were discouraged from playing the banjo because they felt it was not  lady like to do so. Did the playing of the dulcimer go through a similar period or was the dulcimer consider an acceptable alternative?