Women (and men) will carry what they're comfortable shooting and carrying.
My Lady now carries the Shield 380 EZ in her purse. Being a retired LEO, she is no stranger to guns, and can and will shoot anything, and shoot it well. Recoil and noise isn't an issue she just shoots the EZ better then anything else in the safe and that selection runs from the lightweight Ti revolvers to 10mm semis all of which she shoots and shoots well.