Experiencing Bias

The more I get into my art and get it out in the world, the more I am beginning to experience certain biases by some gallery folks, srtists, and collectors. Does gender and/or age make a difference in how an artist is treated? I used to think it didn't make any difference; that the work should stand for itself. My eyes have been opened recently by how I was treated by a collector at a social gathering. We were in the midst of a conversation when a young male artist began to join in. The conversation immediately changed to focus on that artist and never returned to the original subject..Was that my imagination? I tried to dismiss it. Another woman artist told me that she had experienced the same situation. Hmmm...now I am beginning to get suspicious. Any others out there receiving similar treatment?

Age seems to also play in the scenerio..Any thoughts on that?