If changing this word doesn’t matter, why are so many so angrily opposed to it?
Resources are limited; let’s spend them on things that do matter.
Did you ask them?
> Maybe, just maybe, the vast majority of women, just are not interested in aviation.
Or maybe, just maybe, they don’t feel welcome. Look at all the hostility in the comments here over simply acknowledging the fact that not all pilots are males. One poster suggested women should be grateful for all men have “done” for them.
> But it seems the idea of flying, the passion it takes to go from student to rated pilot is not that interesting to most females.
It DOES take passion to pursue a career in the cockpit, because the training and discipline is hard. Is it possible that the added difficulties women face might have some effect on the numbers?
> Look at an average car service center, the mechanics are predominately male.
Please. I worked at a vehicle service center for a time. Ever see the calendars on the walls, listen to the banter? I saw a young woman’s “interest” in her own mechanical aptitude destroyed by her co-workers’ relentless chauvinism. In my experience women lack of interest in motorsports because men in that arena view women as little more than adornment for beautiful cars.
> But, the changes will not make flying more palatable or interesting for women.
We’ll never know unless we try. Thomas Paine said: “A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason.”
I agree, I have flown for a living for 40 years, some of the best pilots I have flown with are women. Unfortunately we are still in a the days where men think they are superior to women. Not only in aviation. Grow some boys.
Everyone is welcome in Aviation; I’ve never seen any newcomer met with anything but smiles and help and encouragement.
If you feel that the word “airmen” is offensive, why did you use the word “cockpit”?
Love what she’s doing. I’m sure it’s irritating. And that’s exactly her point.
Aviation - GA, in particular - is mostly a realm of older men. I think if we want to be welcoming to the few brave women who want to participate, we could go a little out of our way to do it.
I will attempt to use “she” and “her” henceforth, when referring to generic aviators.
Hi Allie,
I’m not sure all references to “airman” refer to pilots. I am pretty sure not all of them refer to the Captain. Hence, the suggested “aviator” sounded right to me.
I’m sorry you feel you struggle to acknowledged as anything other than a stewardess - for both reasons.
Jim H., I know a woman who called a plane “Roger”.
I would much rather see the resources spent on this, than on banning model airplanes that don’t have internet-connected remote ID systems, for example. Pretty sure it would be a lot cheaper, too.
Not only that, but it might incrementally add to the ranks of aviators, instead of cutting out the next generation.
I don’t feel that the term airman is offensive, but I’m a man. The fact that I unconsciously used the term “cockpit” while advocating for vocabulary change is indicative of the problem, no?
Because WOMBPIT just doesn’t seem right, Mark
:-)))))
And for YOU, Mark … you “unconsciously” used the term … you racist !!
THERE’s your problem.
It’s called unconscious bias. Everyone has some biases that they unconsciously express, whether they intend to or not, and without realizing it. But the recipient of those biases certainly notice them.
If you don’t think little things like terminology matter, try consciously replacing every use of “sir” or “airman” with “ma’am” or “airwoman” and see if it doesn’t make you (as a male) feel at least a little dissuaded.
Now “cockpit” is an expression of unconscious bias? Oh my gawd.
What are we to make of “turtledeck?” Unconscious tortoise bias?
Here in the Peoples Republik of Massachusetts, this kind of mental manure is our version of San Francisco’s fecal follies.
Trust me - there is no end to PERCEIVED gender bias. The city council of New York City INVENTED 31 genders, to address this urgent and vital issue. Regardless of the quality of your hallucinogens, you cannot make up this stuff.
Go ahead - do it. Just TRY to remove all of that “unconscious bias” from the English language. And all of the other 54 languages that are in common usage in the United States. Send me the bill, of course. And please let me know when you’re finished, so I can bestow appropriate appreciation for your efforts.
Related questions: Why do males comprise 9.6% of the population of registered nurses, nationwide? Why do males comprise 11% of the population of elementary school teachers, nationwide? Unconscious bias?
It’ s lunacy to scub the history, flavor, and traditions out of the English language; doubly so for the sake of some political action group.
Surely you’re kidding, Shirley ?
I was specifically responding to the use of “airman”, not “cockpit”.
But in any case, if a minority group (female pilots) say certain aviation terms have sexist connotations, the response should not be “it doesn’t offend me, so too bad”. That certainly won’t encourage them to join the pilot community.
One doesn’t have to agree to take a certain action to acknowledge that there might be something worth considering there.
Roger, don’t call me Shirley.
I love this type of article because all the crusty old guys, with way too much time on their hands, come out to rant about nothing at all. Very fun…