everithigs you will read below is just my personal opinion and I don't want to offend anyone and own sensibilities.
In my life I always had good feeling with the men (hetero or gay, is the same ). For me is easily speak up with them, I think they are more simple in their mind: about work, friendship or relationship.
A lot of businesswoman thinks is better to have men collegue, because the women living and working in eternal competion with other women. I felt is like if the women always have somethings to prove.
Since I live in The Netherland I'have seen (I mean I felt) a different situation, almost the opposite: The woman are much more self-assured, in everithing they do, and often seems that the men have something to prove, as if they say: "hey, I'm different then other men!"
Maybe is because of my culture (a culture strongly focused on the householder, who have to take care of the own wife as if she is a porcelain doll) maybe because The Netherland is a Matriarchal society and the girls grow-up much more indipendents.
What is the role of women in your culture of origin? have you noticed differences than the country where you live now or in the countries where you have lived?
notice to the moderators: I tried to post in the Expat-cafè but I'm not sure I succeeded