Sexism is a b*tch.
Not being female, but having worked with them I know this much.
In a perfect world (it's a sad fact, but a lot of people can't get past it), Woman have the same odds of success as anyone else, and it is ALL in the mindset. I've worked with guys that couldn't weld or work or were a total waste of space. At the same time, I've worked with woman that worked like a damn work horse! Alas, some of them were of the "Oh, I can't do it, do it for me! variety!" But they've been far and few between, and damn straight that it works both ways.
When the coveralls go on, as far as I'm concerned, we're all the same. Female, Male, as long as you work hard and get it done, who gives a ****? If you know what you're doing and expect someone else to work for you, you're in the wrong field.
If you're starting out and learning, keep positive, leave your personal life at home and listen to the people that offer advice. Do your thing, work hard, learn from your mistakes and go with it.
Don't make the same mistake I made...
To say, if you get a helper job in the field, never tell the welder you were working with off due to stresses outside of the job. That was a few years back, fun stuff...I'd give anything to go back. I can't change the past, but I can learn from it.