Sexist Language: For all practical intents, really sexist?

Unfortunately for me, my reading began with classic literature from a golden age of grammar, where the male pronoun was default. I often get into trouble for assuming verbal masculinity, but I don't do it only out of past-clinging spite: Imagine a world of ambiguity.

Cindy, yes, I'm having an affair with the secretary. His name is Lester.

The plumber came by. She cleaned my pipes real good.

The used car salesperson waxed my windshield at no extra cost. <.< >.>

Check out the rack on that milk carrier!

I can't stand that sanitation worker in our neighborhood (a politically dangerous statement to begin with!), she keeps throwing my trash can in the middle of the street.

In some cases, ancient people attempted to solve problems of ambiguity with gender specifications, all of which are also now sexist.

Actor/Actress - By far one of the most clarifying distinctions. "I need an actor to fill the roll of Pam" doesn't tell you much of anything.
Businessman/Businesswoman
Chairman/Chairwoman
Dentist/Oral Hygenist (rimshot)
Chef/Wife
Dominator/Dominatrix
Terminator/Terminatrix

Pronoun ambiguation for alternative genders has been solved by a new addition to the family: He/She/Zhe :S

Social forces are formalizing and pushing American English in the direction of an entirely neutered language. I often find myself writing without these considerations, but if someone refuses to consider WHAT I'm saying on the merit of HOW I say it despite grammatical correctness, it's their loss. I think that dudes should be free to assume vague people as dudes if they so choose and women are similarly free in my eyes to assume that everyone, from your professor to your president is a woman.

Discuss.

I like using plural pronouns like "they" and "them" in reference to a person of unspecified gender even though it isn't technically correct. But screw that if I'm gonna have to write "him/her" every single time.

In writing it's correct to assume the male gender when addressing an unspecified person...

"If a plumber were to come to your house, he would perform whatever work was necessary while on site."

It's not sexist, it's proper grammar. Unfortunately political correctness bastardizes the English language.

A funny thing to do is to refer to the programmer as "she" when writing a technical manual. Try it! It's funny!

.

I actually hate this. It sounds awkward, and doing it always makes me feel uncomfortable. I'm in favor of using the masculine pronoun wherever it's ambiguous.

It's also correct to assume the female gender as well as using one of many gender-neutral pronouns.

:D!

Hehehe. I'm going to start using ou whenever I need a gender neutral pronoun.

:p

if(getThingFlags(source) & 0x8){
  do her}
elseif(getThingFlags(source) & 0x4){
  do other babe}
else{
  do a dude}

Woman. Oh noes!

Yes, although you can be politically correct and gramatically correct at the same time (no she/he garbage), you just have to be more clever with your wording.

Womyn >.>

Or whatever

"When considering problems with another, one must consider one's circumstances and instead look within oneself. That person must embark on a spiritual introspection that can involve changes in that soul's life and may shake the foundations between one and one's family. One cannot forget one's obligations to one's career as well, as one would otherwise be merely doing oneself more harm than good. one one self one..."