Q: given that, at both sites, women and children were killed to fulfill male dominated visions of religous fervour.
A: I know were this question originates The events of Masada are complex and have apparently been interpreted in a variety of different ways (see http://www.bibleinterp.com/articles/masadamyth1.htm for a good discussion). In the best light, a group of heroic Jews were besieged by Romans and took their own lives rather than be enslaved. In its worst reading, a group of Jewish extremists, having been kicked out of Jerusalem before the fall of the Second Temple by other Jews, took refuge on Masada. From there, they raided other Jewish settlements (and killed lots of folks). Besieged by the Romans, they apparently didn't fight much at all and elected to kill one another at the end rather than be enslaved (the question of the extent to which the women and children were afforded a voice in that decision is, perhaps, an open one). In neither reading did any of the defenders try a suicidal fight to try to save the children and other non-combatants. I see Anne's situation as being simpler than that, and her final choice as being diametrically opposite the one made at Masada (in either reading). Two young people whom she had grown to love were in danger. Far from electing suicide, she elected to fight to the end to save their lives. (Note that I see a big difference between fighting against long odds to save someone, and simply killing oneself.)