While I agree that language evolves, the fact that a few idiots use words in a derogatory way and some targets feel offended or diminished isn't necessarily a good reason to force evolution (which, by the way, can't really be forced). Maybe I'm an outlier (and I probably am), but if some idiot guy used the phrase "it's called a cockpit for a reason", I would, first, laugh him off as the jerk he is and, second, be even more determined to proceed to be a pilot (if I weren't one already). I've been distressed by what I perceive as the weakness of some women, but then again, I don't think I was raised the way most women, apparently, are--to blame themselves for men's idiocy when it comes to dealing with the opposite sex. Despite being in a male-dominated profession and enjoying male-dominated entertainments (flying, shooting, riding motorcycles), I've run into very little sexism despite the fact that when I started my profession, there were very, very few women in it--I'm that old. I've never been able to make up my mind whether it's because it's a lot less prevalent than so-called feminists claim or because I look like I could and would deck any jerk who'd try to pull something like that.
