Now we are well into the twenty first century I feel that it's slightly "old hat" to make such a big thing about T. C-T's exploits just because she is a woman.
So true. Awarding a female for an accomplishment, with her gender as an element of the award is kind of saying to all other females that they had not quite achieved what men have yet. Absolutely silly.
Thank you females for bearing children for us, and being the opposite gender to us. For everything else we men are no better and no worse than females. I don't think it award or even noteworthy that my male gender contributed to my accomplishments in life, why would a female want an award which had the effect of separating her from other females, particularly when she waves the flag of trying to inspire them! It would be like my giving an award for being my beautiful daughter at family dinner, what do I want my other two daughters to think?
We are past the time in history when females should need to be awarded with gender as an element. TCT, perhaps without forethought, has done a noticeable disservice to females. Rather than rubbing shoulders with well dressed people holding drinks, she should be quietly hiring a bus to take eager youths to the airport to learn, and standing quietly in the back of the group while an aviation professional she hired provides some inspirational instruction. A few summers of doing that every weekend, and seeking no credit or adoration, and I could support a non gender based award for her being inspirational.....