Originally Posted by
tauphi
Heh, I've heard exactly the opposite -- that it's more of a taboo in the south, i.e., Shenzhen/Guangzhou where this particular meaning originated. Of course there's also the suggestion there of substituting it with 靚女, the Cantonese equivalent of 美女.
Honestly I don't buy this taboo story as I still hear it used everywhere in the non-derogatory sense.
My friends in BJ are about as non-PC as you could possibly imagine, but they have banished "xiaojie" from their vernacular. I'm fine with the 美女 thing; never fails to generate a smile.