Why are there only human males at the Battle of Yavin?

Question

I was watching A New Hope and I just realized something; when General Jan Dodonna was briefing everyone for the Death Star assault, the only pilots assembled are male humans. No female humans or aliens. Why is this?

I know the Doylist answer is that it was 1977 and women faced sexism in every industry and making alien costumes for pilots might've been just a bit too expensive, but in-universe, what's the explanation for this?

The Empire was xenophobic, so all their troops and officers were human, but the Rebel Alliance was open to all races.

Answer 1

There were not only male humans at the Battle of Yavin. Additional canon commentary (written since the film was shown) has revealed that several human females were involved in the battle also, including;

• Evaan Verlaine - Gold Squadron (Survived)

and

• Zal Dinnes - Red Squadron (KIA)

• Iden Versio - Black Squadron (Imperial) (Survived)
  

• Jaldine Gerams and Wona Goban may also have participated as they were not seen dying on screen in Rogue One and were confirmed (via the Rogue One: Visual Guide) to have been members of Gold Squadron.

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In other (now non-canon) works, we see an array of other female pilots;

• Ru Murleen (Survived)
• Shara (Survived - Was piloting a support ship, not a fighter)
• Another unnamed female pilot shown in a trading card published in 2010.