What a very disappointing article. As many have pointed out, a male trying to get coverage and sponsorship for such trips would have had a much harder time of it. In the talk she gave a couple of months back, which I attended, Tracey specifically spoke about how the aviation industry were falling over themselves to do everything they can to get women into the industry. Being a female in aviation is an advantage these days, not a handicap, at least in the developed world.
It seems the story changes to suit the agenda of the day. Of course, the media rarely report accurately on what anyone says and could have ignored any more balanced statements that were made. I don't trust them a bit.