When we try to be polite and respond with affectionate names like sweetie and darling, there are a group of people out there that eager to label this as belittling. The fact is you can use a person’s true gender descript like Miss and be far insulting than sweetie. It is not in what you say but more in how you say it. Tones can mean everything and as I remember it, the entire Japanese language is based on tone and they recognize that one word can be used to mean so many different things once we change its sound.  It is funny how this is so clear to my dogs who always understand which “come here” will result in food, hugs and affection or punishment.