I don't see why people should object to female actors being called actors. Acting is a job (as well as a hobby). The nature of the job doesn't change with the gender of the person doing it. Female police officers aren't normally called 'Policewomen' any more for the same reason.

Standardisation of language has played a part in establishing a measure of parity of esteem for the job that women in the police service do - which didn't exist in the days when they were known as WPCs (or 'Popsies' as my father-in-law used to call them when he was in the job). You don't hear people talking about 'Doctresses' any more than you hear the term 'Male Nurse' anymore.   

When the term 'Actress' was common it often had connotations of a certain sort of woman - vain, slightly dim and of easy sexual virtue. None of which is true, of course.....

I'm not quite sure where this spade business comes in. As far as I am concerned you can use any language you like to describe gardening implements. People are a different matter.