Why are so many men winning Survivor?

Entertainment Weekly

"In terms of winner distribution, the show’s first 25 seasons could not have been any more even, with 13 men and 12 women taking home the million-dollar prize," says Dalton Ross. "But then, something changed. Ten of the last 13 seasons — including each of the last four — have been won by men." The male dominance is most notable this season, says Ross, says it's been the women who have been dominating so far. "There have been many theories as to why males have dominated the winner’s circle in the last seven years of the show," says Ross. "Hidden immunity idols play a major role in how far people get and how they are judged at the final Tribal Council, and men have found way more of them than their female counterparts have. There have many theories floated as to why this is, and several female former players have chimed in saying that life around tribe camps often mirrors society in that the men often fall into the gender stereotypes and become the gatherers (making it easier for them to also search for idols), while the women are expected to stay back and tend to camp (thereby losing opportunities to procure idols)." Ross also points to "the feeling among many viewers (and former players) that men are rewarded by both tribemates and juries for playing aggressively, while women are punished for the exact same behavior."