So I’ve realized that in conversations I’ll use traditional terms for men as general terms for all genders, both singularly and for groups. I always mean it well, but I’ve been thinking that it’s not as inclusive to women/trans people.
For example I would say:
“What’s up guys?” “How’s it going man?” "Good job, my dude!” etc.
Replacing these terms with person, people, etc sounds awkward. Y’all works but sounds very southern US (nowhere near where I am located) so it sounds out of place.
So what are some better options?
Edit: thanks for all the answers peoples, I appreciate the honest ones and some of the funny ones.
The simplest approach is to just drop the usage of guys, man, etc. Folks for groups and mate for singular appeal to me when I do want to add one in between friends.
Peeps
Fellow humans
This is how you get a visit from humans at AARO https://www.aaro.mil
“Nanu nanu.”
What’s up carbon based earthlings.
Potential litigants
I worked at a restaurant in Ohio in the early 2000s. Had a group of ladies come in once, probably in their 50s. Got super offended when I gave the standard “hi guys!” greeting. However, where I grew up, that had become a gender neutral greeting.
If you want to remove gendered pronouns entirely, “y’all” is what I would go with. I think the UK frequently uses “you lot”, but that probably does not sound great to most in the US. I suppose “folks” is one that might work, but seems to rub some people the wrong way.
It depends on the group and setting. I use folks and y’all a lot, but don’t put a heavy southern drawl on it. Sometimes I say homies or party people. Really, in an unprofessional setting I try about anything I can that could be considered a term to group people. I jumped in a Discord call the other day with two of my buddies already in there and opened by referring to them as bromosexuals. I try to have fun with it but professionally, folks or everyone is what I use most.
Meatbags.
Negative, I am a meat Popsicle.
My go-to is folks, but 1000 others have mentioned that already. So I will throw in “people”.
“Hey people, how’s it going?”
That works for me
A lot of people use “folks” for plural.
I feel like “guys” is fairly un-gendered but people disagree with me. Personally, I haven’t used the word “guys” to refer to anything male in what seems like forever.
“Bud” and “fella” are good singulars.
I really, really wish we could degender “guy” and “guys”. I know plenty of people of all genders that use the words in general to describe people, objects, concepts, everything. The only holdouts are people that insist on it specifically meaning males. Ironically, these people are often the hardcore feminists.
If other English words can change their meanings and be claimed/reclaimed by certain groups, why can’t others?
Take guy! Use it to describe whatever you want! Free it of its historically phallic shackles!
This sounds not to dissimilar to those who argued that legalizing gay marriage would lead to people marrying horses or their cars.
My car married the horse down the road last year
Guy was originally gender neutral as it was used to call someone stupidly bold (iirc). The term was most often used toward a single gender that was known for being stupidly bold and became synonymous with that gender. That’s how it became gendered.
Bud is very rarely used for women (or at least for me), but it is one of my favourite things to hear tbh
I’m a cis woman in IT, I’m guy, dude, man, bro… I don’t really care. You can change to make a specific person feel more confortable but most woman don’t care to be dude or guy
“Guys” is ungendered.
Reconsider whether it’s worth being friends with people that insist on fighting over the term “guys”.
And if you are surrounded by a lot of particularly sensitive people, just call them “friend” or “friends”. It works for people you both like and dislike. Glorious.
Modifying my language choices is literally the least I can do to make people feel more included, so anyone who can’t fathom doing that is for sure, not worthy of being a friend.
Sure, but as a professional (teacher) I’m not willing to put my career on the line by challenging a sensitive parent. A few years ago we were told not to use that word, and when it comes to things like that, I do as I’m told.
That makes sense.
Teachers have to do a lot of stupid shit these days.
“Listen up you little shits”. Perfectly non-gendered!
Aw yeahhhh, everyone’s into guys 🫦
(well, except aro/ace people maybe)
If you are in the Midwest, Guys is absolutely gender neutral.
Edit: downvote me all you want guys, it won’t change the truth.
It is indeed.
Meh, people who want to fight over the term ‘guys’ are in the minority.
They can probably just be ignored.
lemmies
Dudes is fine - folks and yall also work. I use yall all the time even though I’m now in Canada and have never lived in the US south.
Guys, I think, is still a bit too gender associated but it’s borderline. Man is often used in a gender neutral manner but it is very easy to misinterpret and a transwoman could reasonably assume you’re trying to troll them.
You’ve also got fella and feller, I think the latter one is more gender neutral than the former.
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I heard this comment
Doooooooude
amigo
