Ok, fair enough, point taken, the one picture could be seen as an attempt to please the woke generation. I personally don't see the harm nor any significance, but ok.
Regarding your statistic of female pilots I would argue that hiring of future pilots could result in different percentages than the existing, so if your numbers are correct and there are only 5% right now, I don't see why this can't be increased? Mind you, Cathay is not hiring out if the pool of present pilots, the cohort is a different one.
Whether the quality has to go down as a result is a "slippery slope" argument, you escalate to the worst possible outcome, and based on the 5%. Also how do we know it is a real target not just a ball park? And within what time frame? I find this hard to see as "woke". I would interpret woke in the negative sense used ( as above ) as excessive actions, not all strategy adjustments per se that involve minorities. I am pretty certain most urban people in the Western world don't even understand the issue of a gay couple in am ad, its normal for them, and I think thats great. The "woke" generation to me is the most advancef, modern and educated generation there ever was. Pretentious and cocky a well, but who wasn't. I am always amazed how far my children and their friends are, I was way less mature at their age.
But ok, you are correct it could be all seen as a woke manoeuvre.