As I was browsing through eMarketer collecting information to send to our execs, I came upon an interesting chart that really got me thinking. The chart shows that 12% of US Female Internet Users ages 18-77 participate in status updating activities online, such as Twitter. According to 2008 estimates by the US Census Bureau, there were about 118,026,789 females in the US 18 and older. Even though that includes females over 77, 12% of that number is about 14,163,214…that’s a lot of women.

Hopefully, I haven’t lost you yet, because I’m going to take it a step further. Although it’s interesting that so many women are engaged in status updating, it’s not surprising. Women are generally more apt to share their lives with others than men are. (I realize I’m generalizing here, hence the use of “generally.”) This 12% seems like a pretty substantial number of women, and so I decided to skim through my Twitter and blog lists. Though the majority of my Web 2.0 connections are female, there are a lot of males too. A possible explanation for the female majority is that because I’m female, I connect better with other females (or at least I subconsciously assume I do).

But, it’s pretty amazing how many guys are using the digital world as their platform, their soapbox, and sharing aspects of their lives. Some of the biggest social media innovators and well-known bloggers are men, as are some of my personal favorites. So, what is it about social networking and Web 2.0 that causes men to come out of their shells? Is it the digital separation? Do they feel freer to express themselves when the closest they will get to face-to-face with most of their audience is on Skype with a web cam? Granted, a lot of men, and people in general, use sites like Twitter to promote themselves or their companies, and similarly use blogs to share their expertise or insight on a particular subject. But, nonetheless, they are still putting themselves out there.

I could keep going and expound on my various theories, but I really want to open this up to you. A few more questions: Are the majority of your Web 2.0 connections male or female? Why do you think this is? Have you found that males are more candid and open in the digital arena? How would you explain this behavior? I can’t wait to see what everyone has to say!