What's "6 grade" is to claim that women remained close while saying there were no male disciples to be found, using just the Synoptics.  

You need St John's "symbolic" Gospel to substantiate that claim since all 3 Synoptics simply mention that there were women "looking on from a distance".  And if you used St John's Gospel that would bring St John (male disciple, oops) to the Cross.  It's a logical error to say that the absence of mention of males is tantamount to saying that there was none present, near or looking on.

Better make a breezy passing point to a Pontifical "Commission" in hopes that no one else will point out the flawed reasoning, selective use of the "symbolic" Gospel, and pray that no one asks you to "back up the truck". 

Only St John mentions who was at the foot of the Cross, and this included himself and several women.   

One would think that if St John's claims as eye witness were in dispute, his marvelous Gospel wouldn't have become part of the Canon of the NT.