Some of us recall the origin in the AoL when it meant both men & women. As far as I was concerned while reading, the AoL group was the way things were supposed to be, and the Third Age situation a tragic aberration. I was waiting for Rand to claim the title, or else be acknowledged as Aes Sedai almost up until he named the Asha'man (I had mixed feelings about that, too). As far as I am concerned, it had no gender connotation outside of the historical context in which it was used.