I understand that the words "Progressive" and "Progressivism" as applied to political ideologies and positions have become whitewashed in recent decades into everything related to pink unicorns.

But that is not what Progressivism means historically.

Progressivism is the idea that society can, does, and ought to, transform from savagery to civilized perfection. (An idea which ultimately seems to be a secularized version of the Abrahamic and Zoroastrian view of history from Eden to Fall to Redemption). So far, not too bad. However, in its application it became, and ultimately always becomes, ruthless and inhumane. Progressivism justified the oppression of inferior races and national minorities, both domestically and through colonialism, due to a hierarchical view of savagery versus civilization. Progressivism justified the abortion and euthanasia of the disabled and the "mentally ill" in order to increase civilization. Progressivism justified the destruction of the family, through urbanization, integration of women into the male workforce, and the establishment of universal public schooling (leading to age apartheid); all in order to increase the control that technocratic central planning had over people, and the culture and economy of a country. Progressivism is at the origin of both of the great totalitarian ideologies: Nazism and Communism, both of which sought to reform society into their own images of the perfect civilization; and also at the origin of Wilsonian international liberalism proclaiming the inherent and unquestionable superiority of Western democracy and centralization of decisions into international organizations (which can become in itself as totalitarian as the extreme ideologies).

Sure, you can be a Progressive. But don't deny the etymology of Progressivism.