Well, that's why there are leaders, and that's why there are followers. It's really up to the individual I would think, and how open-minded they are. For example, I don't hold out much hope for male chauvinists to study under a female sifu regardless of quality. You know the saying "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink"? That's just how it is with some people I guess.
Dreams are a great start! Work on it, and it will become a reality someday. It won't be easy though. If anything, you probably have to work ten times harder than the guys to prove your worth. Still, don't let that deter you. The couple of posts prior to mine have very good points. So hang in there!