Why was Lord Buddha reluctant to ordain females as Bhikkuni initially? I have learnt that Lord Buddha was initially reluctant to ordain females but after a lot of convincing by his step mother Buddha started ordaining females. Why was he initially reluctant? If not for his step mother would there even have been a chance for Buddha to ordain women?
there's an alternative point of view suggesting that if the Mahapajapati's story is indeed authentic, it postdates the first acceptance of a woman into the Sangha, who could be Bhadda Kundalakesa, and that reluctance of the Buddha concerns specific circumstances of that particular episode and not wholesale refusal of women entrance into the order

Bhadda Kundalakesa Therigatha (Thig 5.9)


  I traveled before in a single cloth,
  With shaven head, covered in
  dust,
  Thinking of faults in the faultless,
  While in the faulty
  seeing no faults.
  When done was the day's abiding,
  I went to Mount
  Vulture Peak
  And saw the stainless Buddha
  By the Order of Bhikkhus
  revered.
  Then before Him my hands in añjali
  Humbly, I bowed down
  on my knees.
  "Come, Bhadda," He said to me:
  And thus was I
  ordained.
  Debt-free, I traveled for fifty years
  In Anga, Magadha
  and Vajji,
  In Kasi and Kosala, too,
  Living on the alms of the
  land.
  That lay-supporter — wise man indeed —
  May many merits
  accrue to him!
  Who gave a robe to Bhadda for
  Free of all ties is
  she.


the issue is dealt with at length in the Ven Sujato's book "White Bones Red Rot Black Snakes" (free)

the history behind the issue appears very misty to me, where the truth probably won't ever be found out