When a living being comes to Krsna consciousness under the guidance of a bonafide guru, such a person, whether in the body of a male or female, becomes a guru to others. All bonafide vaisnavas are gurus. For instance many female devotees were the cause of encouragement for male devotees taking up Krsna consciousness and living in the temple. Some of these males included sannyasis, those acting as initiating gurus, and brahmacaris.

Many female devotees are and were fantastic book distributors, as well as excellent preachers, cooks etc, and also very beautiful by material standards. It is a fact that if it were not for females being in the ISKCON movement and living in the female ashrams even though separated from the male ashrams, many Western male devotees would not have lived in the temple. The same is true vice-versa. This was one of the changes for the sake of preaching,  Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami had to make in order to succeed in the Western world. 

The question of women becoming "initiating gurus" or diksa gurus only arises because some of us still think that there is a difference between a diksa-initiating guru and a siksa-instructing guru. The sastra tells us that there is no difference between the diksa guru and the siksa guru. If they are both bonafide, their message will be one and the same.

Although the Gaudiya vaisnava line has seen female gurus, one must be very careful and examine who were actually these "female gurus". They were not ordinary female persons or jivas in the dress of a female body. These personalities were extra-ordinary and are considered expansions of Srimati Radharani Herself. Generally in the material world, the diksa guru is of a male form and represents the rupa or form of Krsna. The form of Krsna Himself is always originally male. 

guru krsna-rupa hana sastrera pramane
guru-rupe krsna krpa karena bhakta-gane

["According to the deliberate opinion of all revealed scriptures, the spiritual master is non-different from Krsna. Lord Krsna in the form of the spiritual master delivers His devotees."]
Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi-lila chapter one.   
The diksa-guru, that spiritual master who tells you, "You are not this body; you are part and parcel of Krsna," and initiates you with diksa mantras -- gayatri mantras -- he is called krsna-rupa, the direct manifestation of the form of Krsna. It is Krsna Himself who is delivering the jivas by the embodiment of His mercy in the form of krsna-rupa.

The siksa guru in this material world represents the swarupa form of Krsna or the Personality of Krsna. The Personality form of Krsna can be both male or female.

siksa-guruke ta' jani krsnera svarupa
antaryami, bhakta-srestha,----ei dui rupa

["One should know the instructing spiritual master to be the Personality of Krsna. Lord Krsna manifests Himself as the Supersoul and as the greatest devotee of the Lord."]
Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi-lila chapter one.   
There is the siksa-guru, the instructing spiritual master. He/she is called krsna-svarupa, the svarupa of Krsna. There are two forms of Krsna as siksa-guru: one siksa- guru is in your heart all the time. He is Krsna in the heart (paramatma). He is also manifest outwardly as those Vaisnavas (both male and female) who are supermost, most excellent and perfect. So Krsna helps the devotees by diksa-guru, the krsna-rupa, (the male form guru)  and siksa-guru, krsna-svarupa (Paramatma and pure vaisnavas- either male or female gurus.)

Generally, therefore the diksa guru or the krsna-rupa manifests in this material world as a male form. The exceptions to this rule are really expansions of Radharani. In this way they appear as female diksa gurus. They are rare.  

The krsna-rupa diksa guru-the father figure male form is generally more strict and demanding, than the krsna-swarupa siksa guru who could be in the form of a female- or mother figure female form. A mother is more lenient with her children than the father. What she tolerates the father cannot accept.  A living being needs both types of gurus in the material world to complete the principle of accepting and surrendering to a guru. First the siksa guru (vartma pradaksya)  appears to show the way to the diksa guru.  The diksa guru trains and initiates by delivering both the nama and gayatri mantras. The diksa guru accepts the karma of the disciple-a very responsible position indeed. By his strength, the karma is dissolved.  The siksa guru continues to mold but in a more tolerant way- in a more equal and friendly way and in the role of consultant and adviser. Like mother or an elder uncle, aunt, brother or sister. Never like the father.-krsna-rupa. Srict and heavy. Sometimes the diksa guru is more prominent. Other times the siksa guru is more prominent. Both are equal in status in terms of the conception of the disciple. No one is higher or lower. Here is a quote by Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami.

"Anyone who is a bona fide preacher of the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu must be respectful to the real devotees of Lord Caitanya; one should not be envious, considering one preacher to be very great and another to be very lowly. This is a material distinction and has no place on the platform of spiritual activities. Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami therefore offers equal respect to all the preachers of the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who are compared to the branches of the tree. ISKCON is one of these branches, and it should therefore be respected by all sincere devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu."

Now in the line of Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Swarupa Damodara and others, they teach us that although the topmost krsna-rupa gurus had bodies of males in this material world, internally they belonged to the categories of the shakis or manjaris-female confidential devotees of Krsna. They are really gopis or female maid servants of the gopis. Our Gaudiya vaisnava line is primarily composed of Krsna's confidential female devotees who know best, what actually pleases both Radha and Krsna. It is really more of a feminine siksa guru line upon closer internal examination, rather than how it appears externally.

Because of these facts, earthly female vaisnavas can best act as siksa gurus-rather than diksa gurus, since the krsna-swarupa -the siksa guru can be both male or female. In Goloka Vrindavan the spiritual world, the siksa gurus are all there is. There is no need of the diksa guru in the supreme abode. In this way the earthly body of a female vaisnava should quickly remind both male and female devotees, of the gopis and manjaris.  The ordinary jiva can become a manjari in Goloka Vrindavan. This is the highest manifestation of the jiva soul.

The ill-treatment of female vaisnavas is a disease caused by lusty persons especially sannyasis and brahmacaris who have not actually understood in any way, the internal conceptions of the feminine guru line they actually belong to. Such persons see only the male form of the guru. They have no knowledge or realization of the manjari form of their spiritual master. They consider the siksa guru not important as the diksa guru. The female vaisnava should immediately remind male and female devotees of the gopis, manjaris or Srimati Radharani Herself. In this way the female vaisnava is an automatic siksa guru in the real sense even without her speaking anything.. The problem of sannyasis or brahmacaris ill-treating or disrespecting female devotees should be quickly identified as the lust manifestation of those male devotees. Lust breeds anger, hatred, loss of intelligence, a false sense of renunciation without love and compassion for the devotees. They confuse lust with love. Lust means they wish to enjoy the gopis or manjaris of Krsna in the form of the earthly female bhaktins, who somewhat resemble their spiritual counterparts.  Male devotees have been advised by all spiritual masters in our line to see every female as mother except one's own wife. Mother means guru-siksa guru or krsna-swarupa as outlined above. But if sannyasis or brahmacaris ill-treat the female devotees in a hostile way or neglect preaching to them, then this means those sannyasis or brahmacaris wish to enjoy Krsna's properties for themselves and not engage them in Krsna consciousness. Such persons cannot become diksa guru or krsna rupa. Therefore we sometimes see the female vaisnavas show more natural love and affection for other vaisnavas. They then are the true gurus.  We must remember that is what Krsna is really attracted to. That a vaisnava is soft hearted both for Radha and Krsna to be together, and the love of the vaisnavas. That the vaisnavas try to learn something of the mood of the gopis and follow in their footsteps. Female vaisnavas are naturally motherly and more lenient with others, at least generally so. Sannyasis and brahmacaris are yet to attain this level or natural love and affection.

Natural love and affection is given to the sannyasis especially by their approaching the internal level of devotional service- raganuga bhakti and recognizing the special qualities of the gopis of Vrindavan.  How they think, how they speak, how they  talk about Radha and Krsna. That must be the goal of a sannyasi guru. To attain the loving level of the gopis-not towards enjoying the gopis themselves, but towards bringing Radha and Krsna together. This means the gopis or manjaris must become his gurus. If a sannyasi or brahmacari does not practice this internal level of devotion towards Krsna, then he cannot become a true diksa guru. His lust won't be completely removed and replaced with love and affection for Srimati Radharani and Sri Krsna and the gopis. He then stays on a hard-hearted lusty platform which manifest itself in the form of  ill-treatment towards the earthly female devotees and children. 

In the Guru -astaka prayers there is this sixth verse.

nikunja-yuno rati-keli-siddhyai
ya yalibhir yuktir apeksaniya
tatrati-daksyad ati-vallabhasya
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

The spiritual master is very dear because he is expert in assisting the gopis, who at different times make different tasteful arrangements for the perfection of Radha's and Krsna's conjugal loving affairs within the groves of Vrndavana. I offer my most humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.

Although this verse speaks of the spiritual master as masculine by using "he is expert in assisting the gopis", this aspect of his service is done internally in his true perfected form of a manjari. We can remember the examples of Srila Bhaktivinode, when he would stay up late at nights and serve internally in his manjari form. It is the manjaris who assist the gopis, who make special arrangements or tasteful arrangements for Srimati Radharani and Sri Krsna to meet. The manjaris are not interested to enjoy with Krsna directly. They assist the gopis in meeting Krsna, or the gopis assisting Srimati Radharani to meet Krsna. This is the service of the manjaris. We have read that our vaisnava line of Rupa Goswami, is really a gopi or manjari line. It is not a shaka (male friend) line or gopa (cowherd boy) line. So when so-called gurus ill-treat female or children vaisnavas, they do not represent Srila Rupa Goswami-Rupa manjari at all. They do not represent Swarupa Damodar or Raya Ramananda at all. They commit vaisnava aparadha-they go against the wishes of Srimati Radharani. They may not even be vaisnavas.

The guru tattva principles teaches us to fully surrender to the real gurus in our vaisnava line. The topmost guru is Srimati Radharani, followed by the gopis of Vrindavan, and then the manjaris- Their female maid servants. Anyone who quickly reminds us of these devotees is our guru of the highest class. The problem is when we remain on the neophyte platform and pose as sannyasi guru or diksa guru. When we see only material bodies. When we differentiate the diksa guru from the siksa guru, thinking that the diksa guru in his male earthly form is all we need, then we cannot see the other internal form of guru- the real guru.

The bonafide sannyasi, diksa guru or brahmacari must engage the vaisnavas in the service of Krsna. The female vaisnavas must be engaged because of  their natural propensity to be motherly and show impartial love and affection. That is, they are natural siksa gurus to all others. They cannot be placed as diksa gurus, but they direct others to the bonafide diksa gurus. If the siksa guru is belittled in any way, then those who belittle cannot be diksa or siksa guru. There are many grihastas (married couple)  men who ill-treat their wives and then come and give Bhagavatam classes. How can they be good siksa gurus? If the sannyasis guru or brahmacari can perfect himself by engaging the female vaisnavas in making special arrangements for the pleasure of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna, then that guru will sure  receive in his next birth,  the body of a manjari engaged where Krsna's pastimes takes place either in the material or spiritual world. This is what  he is meant to become. Otherwise the Gaudiya vaisnava line is a strict manjari bhava (love and affection) line, which can not  be confused with lusty desires to enjoy female devotees and other sahajiha activities. There is no place to disrespect vaisnavas whether male or female in the Gaudiya Sampradaya.

In the direct pastimes of Krsna in Goloka Vrindavan, we must continue to take siksa from the gopis and experienced manjaris- the real female gurus. This is providing we have achieved that highest gift of the spiritual body of a manjari by first properly respecting the earthly female vaisnavas. This principle truth is also vice-versa. We cannot  achieve that spiritual gift by ill-treating the natural reminders of such eternal manifestations. The human form itself is a reminder of the eternal humanlike forms in Goloka Vrindavan. Our purpose is to engage in making special arrangements for the meeting of Srimati Radharani and Sri Krsna. This is what we are thought in true vaisnava circles. Not to ill-treat each others. That is avaisnava in approach.