The Air Line Pilots Association, a union for more than 70,000 commercial pilots, suggested that, to make flying more inclusive to women and LGBTQ+ employees, words regarding aircraft need to be changed. Particularly, the union argued that the term “cockpit” needs to be changed to to “flight deck” to be more sensitive.

That stab at inclusive language from the ALPA came in its Language Reference Guide, in which it attempted to remove gendered language to be more inclusive of non-traditional pilots. Though drawing much attention recently, the controversial guide was originally published in 2021. In it, the ALPA suggests refraining from using masculinity-coded words like “guys,” “airmen,” “manpower,” and “cockpit” to “reflect the diversity we have at ALPA” and to “create a more inclusive workplace.”

Writing about “cockpit,” for example, the ALPA states, “While the word ‘cockpit’ dates back to the 1900s, it has been and may be used in a derogatory way to exclude women in the piloting profession.” It continues, “Many women have heard a variation of ‘It is called a cockpit for a reason’ by a male pilot, suggesting that women do not belong in the piloting profession. The intent behind the use of the word is important.”

As background, “cockpit” has nothing to do with male anatomy. In really, it was originally used to describe the arena used for cock fights, as General Aviation News noted. That led to it first coming into print in the 1580s. It then gradually came to mean “control center,” and when planes came around in the early 1900s, the word “cockpit” was adopted for use in airplanes by pilots in the First World War.

In any case, “cockpit” isn’t the only term the ALPA said was non-inclusive and thus not to be used. The guide also stated, for example, that “mother” and “father” are non-inclusive terms because those “may inadvertently ignore different family structures.” Giving alternative terms, it said that there are “caregivers, same-sex parents, stepparents, families with adopted members, and more.”

That’s not all. The guide also discourages referring to people’s wives, husbands, girlfriends, or boyfriends. Explaining why those terms are discouraged, the guide provided, “These terms may leave out individuals who are unmarried or have a long-term or same-sex partner.” So that’s what the pilot’s union is worried about, or at least was in 2021.

The ALPA defended the guide with its wacky suggestions in a statement to Fox News. In that statement, it said, “Flying is the safest mode of transportation in the world thanks in large part to airline pilots, professionals that are all held to the highest training and qualification standards. There are real threats to aviation safety like efforts to replace pilots with automation or lower training and experience standards, but opening the doors of opportunity to ensure we have a robust supply of qualified aviators isn’t one of them.”

On the other side of things, however, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety team representative Kyle Bailey told Fox News that “diversity really has nothing to do with safe travel.” He explained, “It’s basically all a matter of flight time, your credentials, your background, how much flight experience you have and also your training.”

He added, “Regardless of what proposed hiring practices are put into place, the bottom line is … piloting is basically a male occupation. You don’t find little girls when they’re 10 years old saying, ‘Hey, I want to be an airline pilot’ or playing with little model airplanes or flying model airplanes. It’s pretty much a male game, like it or not.”