Appointing yourself arbiter of integrity of an entire profession, is exactly gatekeeping.

The OP stating he had 10 years of experience, in no way, shape, or form, has any affect on you...whatsoever.

If their stating so, made you angry in some way, then your time would be better spent asking yourself why..

Why is sneering at a "secretary" relevant to maintaining integrity? Do you know they have no math or computing skills? Do you know they have no relevant background or educational experience from an earlier time in life? Do you know they were hired under false pretences lying about their experience instead of the employer knowing that they were inexperienced and paying them less, offering training, willing to take a chance, etc? Do you know they showed no interest in the subject outside a cash grab? Do you know the limit of their abilities was 'secretary' and that wasn't a job they took out of necessity for other reasons?

With what you said apparently being purely a reaction to a job title they had, it's not meritocratic maintaining integrity, it's "know your place" classism.