Why do women generally not initiate conventions?

Please don’t construe this as an ignorant generalisation. I’m genuinely curious on this question, please believe me when I say I’m not ragebaiting asking this.

I’m a man and I’ve noticed that women will generally never talk to you initially, unless I talk to them. I can’t figure out whether it’s a cultural thing (British), whether it’s a problem with my looks, or whether it’s some kind of etiquette standard I’ve not become accustomed to?

Even something as trivial as a work colleague saying ‘good morning’ to you at the door - there was a brief silence on that occasion, she expected me to say it, before she said it reciprocally.

If you are invited to a gathering (say, friends of friends), a woman could literally go the entire night without saying a word to you, even if you’re sitting directly opposite or next to them; unless you talk to them. This would never happen with another man.

No, I don’t think women ‘owe’ me a conversation, and I’m not expecting a random hot girl to just come and ask me out on a date, let’s be adults here. But I find this kind of behaviour a bit strange, unbalanced, and part of me construes it as almost entitled.

I did some research on this, and I read something about women don’t want to be seen as ‘desperate’ if they initiate conversation with a man - is this true? I also read that it could be due to fear of rejection?