the female of the species is always more protected from environmental toxins. she is born with all her reproductive material and must protect it until it is used as opposed to the male who makes his fresh as he goes along. still, it has been proven that certain forms of fetal alcohol syndrome can come from the male, not just the female while the fetus is in utero.
as for mercury, thimerosol induced autism is also a mostly male thing, lending more corroboration to these findings.