This only makes sense if you don't take some important factors into account.  This article assumes that women have the same access to education that men do, specifically in STEM subjects. They don't.  Women are actively discouraged from these fields starting at a very early age.  Only the best, brightest and toughest actually follow their interests and survive that culling to get into, and graduate from, a university program.  

If 20 women and 40 men are applying for the same grants I would bet hard cash that those 20 women are every bit the equivalent of the top 20 men.  

The same holds true for immigrant, aboriginal and LGBTQ students, and double for those who qualify in two or more categories.