There are not any "limitations" or "gender differences" that prevent women from playing bass (or trombone, tuba, timpani/percussion) at all. I studied bass with a fantastic woman who has a great freelance career and sits principal with a few regional orchestras. If you're worried about size/strength/stamina, she had one of the largest basses I have ever seen, and made it sound great. I went to university with an amazing bass trombone player who was a woman, and there were a few others there as well. We had two female bassist in our studio, a tuba player there as well, and the percussion studio was about a third female. All of these instruments are significantly less demanding than many other things that women do every single day. My cousin is a firefighter who rides a Harley, and I'm sure that she could handle the "strenuous" physical requirements of playing an instrument.
There are still social pressures/ideologies associated with music and certain instruments. Cello was considered a "man's" instrument for a lot of years, because it was inappropriate for a woman to spread her legs like that in public. Most of the instruments you've mentioned are low and loud, two things that are not considered "lady like". Having larger hands, longer arms, being taller etc. all help with playing these instruments, but there are plenty of us here who are none of those things and manage bass quite well. There is nothing saying men can't wear pink, but a lot of guys don't feel comfortable with it.
When deciding to become a musician, most people select their own instrument. Your parents might put you in piano lessons or start you out on violin at 3, but a lot of people make the choice of orchestral instruments in school at whatever age their school system starts those instruments. Young boys are often drawn to "low and loud" and young girls are often drawn to higher, more melodic instruments. Although everyone is fighting for equal rights and against gender discrimination, a lot of people still think that boys shouldn't play with dolls and girls shouldn't play with trucks. Regardless to how level the playing field is social norms need to catch up. Technically I can wear a dress and my employer, government etc. cannot discriminate against me for making that choice, but that doesn't mean that everyone's going to be ok with it.
Give it time. Change is happening, but doesn't happen overnight.
but that's the impression I get from watching orchestras, playing with others etc. Apart from the physical strength/stamina required, are there any other reasons for this lack of participation? Are there any renown female DB orchestral players you can enlighten me on, please?
