I think there is something of a disconnect for some men with changes in what is culturally acceptable when it comes to mating as well as holdovers from traditional structures.
There are definitely women out there who will ask guys out, but I'd wager, based on my own circumstantial and spotty experiential evidence in my culture, that it's men's responsibility to initiate has generally remained the case. I think guys who are less adept socially/are timid have difficulties resolving this facet of dating with the decreasing tolerance for overstepping boundaries--some dudes get wet feet because they realize they have to initiate but scare themselves out of it because, compounded with their inherent difficulties in socializing, they now build up this ridiculous fear-based narrative wherein their social clumsiness leads to misinterpretations which wind up screwing them way harder than a simple rejection.
This fear, of course, is unfounded. But I do think the mating initiator in most cultures, whether it be men or women, often relies on 'primal' methods in order to go after potential mates--aggressiveness, shows of power, confidence...When it comes to mating we really haven't moved far away from the schemes of any of our other animal brethren--yes we have money, cars, nice clothes, ambitions instead of colorful plummage, but things are otherwise the same--the old playbook. When you utilize this with restraint, all is well. When you let power go to your head and convince you that things are more animal than they really are and that this sort of behavior is always permissable you wind up like one of our lovely VCs here. That is still the case, and dating is of course nuanced--you have to utilize these peacock techniques but recognize a rebuff when you see one and cease your little dance. I think some guys fail to see the nuance and then read these stories correctly condemning jackasses for their behavior but lack the social understanding to realize this doesn't mean they should paralyze themselves out of asking others out, be afraid to initiate at all, or live under the tyranny of some ridiculous fear that if they so much as a approach a woman it will yield a lawsuit.
Men should learn to deal with rejection, but let's not pretend that they don't have the burden of initiating. I've literally never been asked out by a woman in my life.
I've been pretty successful with women in my life; whilst I was nerdy as a teenager things changed and I've since had a lot of luck with women.
In Europe, where I live, I have never been asked out by a woman that I can recall, despite having had plenty of girlfriends here and good relationships. Men always have to make the first move. The most extreme case of this was when I briefly dated a Russian woman. She had recently divorced with a young kid, and was incredibly beautiful - I couldn't believe my luck when we got together. But I kept asking her out on dates, we'd do a date, it'd be fantastic, and she'd go home the next morning ... without suggesting we meet up, or informing me of her plans, or even what she liked to do really. She'd just go home. At the time I figured she maybe just wanted some fun and didn't wish to begin another relationship so soon after ending her marriage. I took it as a hint that causal dating was fine but she didn't want me intruding on her family time. So eventually I stopped asking her out on dates. I was looking for something more serious and was hoping for her to suggest something she'd like to do instead of always waiting for me, but it wasn't happening. I found out later via mutual friends that she was quite upset when our dating stopped and she'd been hoping it'd get serious. Just that in Russian culture, men are expected to take the lead and tell the woman what's going to happen to a much greater degree than in my own culture, and I'd totally misread her.
However, in America, I've been asked out by women. It's a vastly more forthright culture where "sassy" women are lauded and "go getting" is seen as the way forward.
Given how international tech workplaces are, you're getting vastly different dating cultures and expectations mixed together on a daily basis, in an environment where many men don't get to meet many women. I work in tech but virtually all my dating has been with women I met outside of work. But my colleagues often don't have a social life outside of their colleagues.
Women don't have the burden of having to initiate relationships and chase after potential partners