[stefanmichael]

This is completely constructed in your mind. If you tried this vs any woman rated 100 points higher than you or more, this would be a death sentence. It has nothing to do with gender.

Avoiding the objectively best move just means you're making inaccuracies and blunders, giving the game away for free. Nobody above 1200 rating is going to be "afraid of their position" that is not a thing. Below 1200 rating, there may be people like that due to inexperience, but it would be across both genders IF it existed at all which I'm completely unconvinced of.