>if we try to achieve equality by starting from the language angle

Agreed, but we're not "starting" from the language angle, it just re-inforces the way society used to be at every turn.

On the other hand, of course, if a country were to allow a female leader to get in then they could have their own Maggie Thatcher. http://politics.guardian.co.uk/redbox/story/0,9029,748940,00.html