Working in the marketing and communications field for the past 15+ years, I have certainly seen my share of 'language' that has had to be changed to be politically correct. As a woman, I personally don't have a problem with calling it either a manhole or a utility cover - I think men would be more offended by the first than women, frankly.
When I'm writing copy, I'm always aware and conscientious about using the politically correct term. The letter carrier appears in my written work, but it's still the mail man that my dog barks at. On paper, I would refer to the people on the airplane as flight attendants but when asking for assistance, chances are I'll say, "Excuse me, stewardess, can you help me?"
Frankly, I have the same problem with miles and kilometers. Did that throw you for a loop? The changes that were made in both our weights and measurements world and in our politically correctedness world happened about the same time, right at the end of my elementary education.
For me, and I expect millions of others caught in the time warp, we are destined to forever being frantically doing the math or language problem in our head before we can spit out the answer:
"The fireman, make that firefighter, carried the little girl, make that child, down the 30 foot, make that 10 meter, ladder to safety." I'm very lucky that most of my communication is written, and edited.
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