I do remember how I started programming. I had no computer and no access to it when I got intereseted in it, so I just read every article I came across. Later, I started to buy the books I came across—that was before the www.
So yes, I firmly believe, that you need to try yourself, and try hard. 
There was a quote, I cannot find the source any more, but it was going something like this: like in mountaineering you should not help begginers to avoid them being killed higher up.<p>Btw, do you realize that your remark about diversity is sexist by itself? It assumes that females are not able to cope with the same conditions males do.