The following issue is hard to discuss:  I am a member of the San Antonio Chess Club and lately, I've been noticing that a majority of over-the-board tournaments and chess club meetings that I played in don't have any female players based on my own experiences.  I've heard about women being the minority and the game of chess being male-dominated, but I believe that it's time we make a difference and give women and girls more encouragement to play in the local chess club mentioned above in my hometown (San Antonio, TX) as this is something that I CANNOT do alone.  I've heard of situations of guys intimidating female players in OTB play as well as online and I grow extremely sick and tired of the terrible flirting on and/or off of the chessboard that tends to get on everyone's nerves.  I came across such issue in a blog having to do with a beginner's guide to chess chat as one of the do's and don'ts of chess chatting here on this site.  Guys assuming that they automatically have an advantage when their opponent is female is absolute nonsense and I am absolutely disgusted with the dilemma of many women having to put up with that crap everyday.  I don't like to get too personal, but even if women remain the minority in the chess world, this will not stop me from trying to encourage more women to play chess over the board in San Antonio no matter how difficult it is to do because I still want the chance to be around girls/women as I play in chess club meetings and tournaments.  I also want to see them play in the chess club meetings and tournaments more frequently.  If such possibility does not present itself when I play in over the board tournament play, I end up feeling disconnected (In such case, I can win prize money in a tournament and still have something to be disappointed about OR I win no prize money and still have something to be happy about). I will also be stern about this:  I do NOT care about men being smarter than women, women not being as interested in chess as men, or anything of such nature because frankly, I don't want to hear such comments.  I will also have zero-tolerance for ignorant or offensive comments in this thread.  I'm just trying to make my own contribution to my local chess club.  Some people have told me that things are getting better as far as this issue is concerned but I'm not 100% convinced of this, especially if I play in an OTB tournament and club meeting with no female participants.