“Gender war” might have been too strongly worded. But I, and clearly lots of other Lemmings, are especially sensitive to users who try to stir up unnecessary controversies about gender, or bring it into comments where it isn’t relevant. You might not have been trying to do that, so that’s my bad ratcheting up the rhetoric with “gender war.” But I read Arkouda’s comment and I didn’t even notice their use of “they” until reading your comment about it.

As others have said, I think you parsed the language a little too far. It’s perfectly acceptable, and sometimes preferred, to use generalities when offering advice. Re-reading it again, I frankly can’t see how it’s disingenuous at all.