this post was submitted on 13 Aug 2023
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[–] [email protected] 16 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

I’ve noticed that “gay” is used as a more general term for members of the LGBTQ+ community, similar to how “guys” has a pretty common gender-neutral usage

EDIT: tweaked the wording a bit

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (3 children)

“Guys” hasn’t actually been accepted as gender neutral for a number of years, due to its implicit anti-feminist bias (you’ll fit in if you act like us men).

I struggle with not using it constantly, as it was the go-to gender neutral term for my generation.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

I think this is a bit regional. "Guys" sounds entirely gender neutral to my ear while "dudes" or "bro" sound specifically about men. But I know that "dude" and "bro" are used to refer to either women or men in other locations and "guys" is interpreted as being also referring to men there. I don't think there is an absolute with these particular terms.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

As a Californian, I take GREAT offense at the idea of gendering “dude”.

There is no more gender neutral term than “dude.” You’re dude. I’m dude. He’s dude. She’s dude. They are dudes. The weather is dude. Animals… dudes. Kids: dudes. Elderly: dudes. Girls are dudes. Boys are dudes. Men and women are dudes. Google is dude. Your smart phone… also dude. Parking meter? Dude.

You can use it for anything… but do not gender it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

One might even say that we’re all dudes, hey!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago (1 children)

"Folks" is a good replacement choice. Works in all the same contexts.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

All y'all need to start using y'all.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

Y'all is where it's at.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

Thanks for the correction! I still hear that usage fairly often and wasn’t up with the discourse around it. Like the other reply I’m also more partial to “folks” personally (as well as “y’all”), but I think I still use “guys” out of habit on occasion