Here's an important point to remember: In most campaigns, you don't have to be an Amazon to be a female warrior; check with your DM for other ways to play a females warrior. The Amazons are merely for a very colorful and distinctive type of female warrior. If a player wants to have a female warrior character, the DM should try to accommodate the player whenever possible, and shouldn't have to resort to making the character an Amazon in order to allow her to be a warrior. In just about every real-world history and mythology, you'll find female warriors in male-dominated societies; otherwise here would be no Joan of Arc or Atalanta of Calydon.
The Complete Fighter’s Handbook, Page 15
Because, you know, that has to be explained. Oh late 80’s/early 90’s role-players, you were held in such high regard!
Also, it is very true: if we didn’t have myths of female warriors, we wouldn’t have Atalanta in Calydon, a play written about the character.