My wife would say, why are you listening to noise?
I don't think it is a gender thing at all. Anyone who did weak signal work amidst lots of noise develops the ability to filter out noise in their brain, sometimes better than a DSP! I recall years ago visiting Ozona Bob, W5PYT (sk). There he was with the SP-600 on the 13 khz bandwidth position, volume knob way up. Then he'd switch between antennas with a B&W 5 position coax switch. He heard just fine that way!
I remember as a Novice on 15m CW using an Halliscratchers S-40B receiver. That receiver was as broad as a barn door! That was all I knew, I did fine!
Jim
Wd5JKO