system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: Using the word “female” to talk about a woman or girl is not sexist/wrong/inappropriate

As a female who was in the military, I call every woman or girl a “female” when I’m talking about them. Or when I’m generalizing. There’s nothing wrong with doing this. 

However, several times on Reddit I’ve been downvoted or called out for this. I’m progressive and liberal, so I try my best to speak with groups of people in mind. But this one just makes no sense to me. 

I’ve never even heard someone use the word “female” intending for it to be condescending. And I’ve experienced plenty of sexism (primarily in the military).

Please, someone, anyone explain to me how this is sexist or inappropriate. Because I’m really not grasping it.
gpt
In normal life use of the word female for women and male for men can be unusual and that unusual use of language can just give people pause. Mostly nobody will take any offence, its just unusual.

Online can be a different thing. Online all people can judge you by is words so they place enormous significance on your choice of words, significance that hardly anyone would apply in a face to face encounter. Also you may run into people who have strong opinions about gender theory online and your unusual use of language will mark you out as not complying with their linguistic codes for their belief system. As that is one of the most heated belief systems generating the most online reaction right now it could certainly explain the responses you are getting.

Online people do tend to read into the words you use meanings which you never intended, then take very seriously the meaning that they have inferred. It is just a drawback of the online world. To those who are hypervigilant to use of language that deviates from their beliefs, you can indeed appear 'bad' and that badness will be expressed through descriptions such as sexist/etc.