The issue of low male church attendance has been debated for over a century. An imbalance in the sexes, and the demand for an itinerant male workforce in Australia meant that by the end of the 19th century many communities had ageing bachelors who had little interest in the church. This, in part, contributed to congregations having a larger proportion of women, and consequently churches being perceived as 'feminine' institutions. By the early 20th century there was also an increasing number of counter attractions to lure men from church attendance - as Mick Paul's cartoon suggests.