I am not sure I understand what your disagreement is about? I am not saying we should all be equals and there should not be authorities, people of distinction that deserve respect.
It would seem we have different ways of looking at this issue and that is good-news. We don’t have to think alike! Respect can mean different things in different contexts. We can respect and love our elders and provide them with help and support - great - that’s as it should be! However, this does not mean that we need to have seniors/elders in leadership roles - making all the decisions.
The Buddha may have adopted that approach as a way of insuring the welfare of senior monastics. In the place he lived that may have been standard practice - as it is today throughout the developing world. Elders are supported by the younger family members when they grow old. If this is why the Buddha adopted this approach, as a social-security measure for the elders then, that makes good sense. Is that the kind of situation we live with today - has anything changed?
I believe in respect for teachers based on wisdom and compassion - primarily. Everyone should be respected an looked after - old and young - makes no difference. If women are not being given appropriate respect and they are dominated by men in the sangha - then that is not a way of caring for everyone equally. Hence, discrimination based on gender needs to end - correct?
I do believe reform is ‘in order’ when it comes to the code of conduct for Buddhist monastics. I have no problem with you disagreeing - judging from the deafening silence with regard to what I have been sharing it would seem that most everyone here seems to agree with what you are saying. So be it! I don’t believe that patriarchy or matriarchy is something we should support in any shape or form - religious, political etc.