Those people that know this username will know that the bird bit is intentional. I've been in aviation since 1999 (after a previous 2 year jaunt with the ATC). I've managed to achieve a fair amount - again, those that know me know exactly how much - and I've not experienced much in the way of overt prejudice. I'm sure there have been more subtle 'ism but I choose not to be bothered by these things. I'm just not bothered who people think flew the aeroplane that just landed (unless it was a guff landing, in which case it was definitely the other person)
What I have learned is that the people worth knowing are the people who will treat you on a meritocratic basis, rather than those who will judge on the basis of appearance.
Aviation is a world in which, amongst those who do it, there is no reasonable disadvantage on the basis of gender. There are few pursuits where this is the case, and it is true that there are far fewer women actually interested in it than men. But those that are, are as good as men are in the same relative proportions. IMO, that is, I don't have any statistically significant evidence.
I do appreciate gentlemanly behaviour in the right circumstance. It's respectful and thoughtful and I am flattered. But when I have any sort of overalls on, be it engineering, flying or otherwise, my rules are that men can fart, swear, and scratch their balls as much as they like and I will not be offended. After I've crawled down the tail of an aeroplane to clean and grease an elevator idler people see that I do stand by those rules and I'll muck in just the same.
I love aviation, and I've met and fly with some wonderful people. I enjoy challenging perceptions, so on the rare occasion of inappropriate behaviour, I see it as a chance to prove them wrong, not as a personal sleight. And that's really just an opportunity to do whatever I'm doing, to the best of my ability, and who doesn't enjoy that?
Btw not that long ago, we had a period of time at my home airfield where the tower was "manned" by a woman, the only circuit traffic was an aeroplane flown by me with a female commercial pilot as pax, with the police heli passing through also piloted by a women. The entire ATZ was female for about 15 minutes. Fact is, people fly!