Using some of the “logic” posited here, we should call “married” two people of the same gender who profess their commitment to each other. After all, it is merely a formal title.
Yidden throughout the years have had the fortunate ability to recognize their great leaders no matter what they called themselves. There is a famous story about a court officer from Seattle, who interviewed Rav Moshe Z’l and asked him how he came to be the “greatest Rabbi in North America”. He is reported to have answered that someone asked him a question and was satisfied that he gave a proper answer and told his friend, who in turn told his friend and before you knew it, everyone started sending him their questions.
Titles and degrees are meaningless.