Is AUTHOR wrong in the post ? POST : I was at the gym earlier and went to use a machine but there was an older lady using it at the time. 

Me: Excuse me, how many sets do you have left?
Her: Why?
Me: Oh because I wanted to use the machine.
Her: I've just started.
Me: Is it alright if I do sets during your rest?
Her: If I was a man you wouldn't be asking me this.
Me: I've asked other people before and it hasn't been a problem.
Her: Just go and do something else...

From the minute I asked she was scowling at me, and huffing and puffing as if I'd said something offensive.

She went off on a rant after this but I just put my music back on and walked off because I didn't want to say anything rude.

Later on I see her opposite me, clearly telling someone else about the interaction because that person turned around to glare at me.

I just asked her as I would ask anyone, male or female, that was using a machine/weights that I wanted to use, but her reaction completely threw me off.