“My shop/drawing teacher was smart enough to say, “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen”.”
Gee, my drill instructors in 1965 would address us all as “ladies”
Did not seem to be emotionally disruptive.
One of the engineers where I worked complained to my supervisor about “your lady inspector” (I was the only woman inspector (hence my Freeper handle). My boss answered: “All my inspectors are ladies!”
Yeah, he also preferred other titles and pronouns. Sometimes it really was difficult not to laugh. That was the mistake he sought.