"That my gender or my age or my ethnicity or my sexual orientation or my weight or my clothes might (will!) have an impact on the perceived quality of the software I build."
After nearly three decades writing software, I'd say if that's the case, you're probably at the wrong place. With such circumstances I'd suspect a whole lot of other bad things are probably true, too.
I interpret this comment as saying: if you find yourself in that kind of situation, look around and try to find other opportunities. In other words, life is too short.
I also can see the other side: life is often not fair, particularly in the short-run. Life constraints such as geography are real barriers for many people.
After nearly three decades writing software, I'd say if that's the case, you're probably at the wrong place. With such circumstances I'd suspect a whole lot of other bad things are probably true, too.