This was poorly written in regards to supporting the headline in any way shape fashion or form. But let us step back and take a look at this for the moment without our gender bias. You asked about which fasteners will work with your screw gun. A question that an knowledgeable and experienced person would not have had to ask. Thus with the salesman not knowing who or what your experience level was they dumbed it down to Barney level to make sure that they covered all bases and the customer 500 miles away got the right thing on the first try. Now you the customer took this as talking to you like you were an idiot and further assumed because of his gender that it was because of your gender. That is the textbook definition of sexism by the way.  For the record I have to dumb things down to Barney when talking to many customers but it is even more important when talking to men because they are far less likely to ask questions or admit when they do not know something.