We're way, way, way past that. I used to think like you, until I started realizing just how institutionally misogynistic corporations and business is. At how low the numbers are. Corporations have had decades to reform and yet the number of women on boards or CEOs or leadership positions is still ridiculously low. The glass ceilings still exists. Generations have passed and the problem hasn't corrected itself.

There is no reason the number shouldn't be near 50%. Women are as capable as men. It's nowhere near 50%.

So, the only solution is positive discrimination.

Your jaw may drop, but the companies of the world had their chance and all they've demonstrated is that the present system is quite obviously, without argument and without anything at all you can say to counter it, complete and utter misogynistic. What other conclusion can you draw? Occam's razor suggests the system is to blame. It it weren't, the numbers would reflect the male/female employment percentages, but they don't, they're still heavily skewed towards men.

So either you choose the "qualified" candidates, who are "qualified" by an obviously misogynistic system. Or you positively discriminate.

Does your jaw still drop? Or do you understand why it is necessary now?