I think the whole issue of women poets in the avant-garde is a relevant one. It's also perhaps a delicate one, as evinced by the strong emotions that seem to be underlying much of the discussion on this matter. But strong emotions, are a good thing, aren't they? Particularly for poets.

My only contribution to the discussion is that the gender balance admist the people I see regularly at readings/ hanging out/ at parties, etc. is generally pretty heavily skewed toward males. Far be it from me to declare the particular group of individuals I associate with as the definitive "avant-garde," a legitimate "community," or "scene," or the only "avant-garde" or "community" or "scene" going. The initial discussion refered to the gender dynamic in a particular group of poets in this area who asscoiate with each other. Of course, the discussion is relevant to any discussion of the "avant-garde" in general, or to poetry communities in general.

One could have a similar discussion about gay or lesbian poets or poets of non-white ethnicity (as Shin Yu has already pointed out), such a discussion would incorporate lots of factors: demographics, socio-economics, etc., etc. A complex and somewhat hairy endeavor, but an important one, I think.