Guys?

[Bobular]

I find that I use the word guys weirdly. I will refer to any group of people as 'you guys', no matter if they are all male or all female or a mix. On the other hand I will refer to single males as 'that guy' but I wouldn't refer to a single female as a guy. I will also use the word guy to refer to someones gender as in 'Jo is a guy'.

So it looks like I use guy to refer to males but guys as gender neutral, am I weird for doing this? am I using the word wrong? do the girls who come into my stall and I great them with 'Hi guys' get offended but are too polite to say anything? Do you guys also use guys gender neutrally?

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

I've always used guys as a gender neutral term, because it always felt rude adding an additional "and gals". Like I was singling out the gals for some reason. And God help us if there are Xers, Zes, Gharas, Nebulons and Dragon Kin in the group.

I prefer simple, all inclusive statements instead of wasting time rattling on the different pronouns everyone has chosen for themselves.

 

[DeliveryGodNoah_v1legacy]

All the time. I just don't think anything of it. I don't think most people do. When I'm at work telling a group of people or a family good bye, I typically say "You guys have a great day". It's just faster, easier, and rolls off the tongue well enough without causing me to stutter.

 

[SupahEwok]

Silly Yankees and Europeans, the American South has already solved this linguistical conundrum with the invention of the gender neutral plural "y'all".

Embrace it.

Y'all're welcome.

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

It's not weird to me, I've used it as a gender neutral term to refer to a group of people before. The female specific term for "guys" is "gals" and that word sounds like it comes out of the 50s.

Spoiler

"Girls" also feels weird when referring to a group of adult women, though sometimes I'll use "ladies" depending on the situation.

 

[Zontar]

The reason it's normal for people to use the term like this without realizing is due to the fact we unconsciously learn the rules of the language over time. Many don't realize it, but in English male pronouns are also neutral pronouns, which is why many find it hard to switch to "they/them" pronouns when that's what's preferred.

 

[Phasmal]

Nah, it's cool. I use guys, dude, bro and the like to refer to my female friends, and I'm not bothered when those things are used to refer to me.

I only think it's shitty when a guy is in a group of women but gets all offended and blustery when the group is addressed as 'ladies/girls'.
I'm cool with being called dude, you guys can be chill about being called lady.
I tend to mess up gendered words anyway, boyfriend gets quite irritated that I keep calling his wallet a purse.

 

[Scarim Coral]

At least once on TV or somewhere, I saw "guys" referring to a group of women; I agree, that's odd.

Same althought I am certain more than one tv show and cartoon did this.

 

[McElroy]

I learned it from Friends a long time ago. "Guys" refers to a group of people. Though it's not like I ever use it.

 

[FalloutJack]

Usually, I don't hear any grumbling from a mixed crowd from saying 'Guys'. No wait, I'm sorry. It's never. I never hear any grumblings at all.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

I do the same thing. Group of mixed genders? Guys it is.

I will say though, I've heard my mother complain that she hates being referred to in a group as "guys" so you might run the risk of saying it to someone who doesn't agree.

 

[happyninja42]

I use it gender neutrally to denote a mixed gender group all the time. I also will say things like "Man, that was a really messed up situation." When I'm talking to a woman. I'm not using the word to define her gender in that context, it's more of an emotional indicator, to show strong emphasis on what I think about it.

I also use dude like that too. "Dude! That was awesome!" When speaking to a woman. You could substitute words like "Wow!" or "Whoa!" or "Damn!" in for Dude in the above context, and it would be the same.

I think the using of "guys" to denote a mixed gender group is simply an artifact of simplifying the language. I could go to the length of adding several more words to categorized the two genders individually. Or I could use 1, single syllable word to cover all of them, and move on to the meat of the conversation. It's just easier, and flows off the tongue better to say "Hey guys, how was everyone's weekend?" instead of "Hey ladies and gentleman (or guys and gals if that's your thing), how was everyone's weekend?" Saves time and gets to the point.

At least that's how I use it.

 

[Bobular]

I've clearly been overthinking this, just because I great a lot of customers I've been thinking about how I do it. It just seems weird when I think about it though.

Nah, it's cool. I use guys, dude, bro and the like to refer to my female friends, and I'm not bothered when those things are used to refer to me.

I only think it's shitty when a guy is in a group of women but gets all offended and blustery when the group is addressed as 'ladies/girls'.
I'm cool with being called dude, you guys can be chill about being called lady.
I tend to mess up gendered words anyway, boyfriend gets quite irritated that I keep calling his wallet a purse.

My old job had me being the only male in the office and at one point in the department, I got used to being referred to as one of the ladies or girls or whatever. Doesn't help that I have a girlyish name and people expected my department to be all women. A lot of women would apologize though when they realized I was there, though I always told them I didn't care.

 

[happyninja42]

I've clearly been overthinking this, just because I great a lot of customers I've been thinking about how I do it. It just seems weird when I think about it though.

Nah, it's cool. I use guys, dude, bro and the like to refer to my female friends, and I'm not bothered when those things are used to refer to me.

I only think it's shitty when a guy is in a group of women but gets all offended and blustery when the group is addressed as 'ladies/girls'.
I'm cool with being called dude, you guys can be chill about being called lady.
I tend to mess up gendered words anyway, boyfriend gets quite irritated that I keep calling his wallet a purse.

My old job had me being the only male in the office and at one point in the department, I got used to being referred to as one of the ladies or girls or whatever. Doesn't help that I have a girlyish name and people expected my department to be all women. A lot of women would apologize though when they realized I was there, though I always told them I didn't care.

I've never really understood the issue myself. I mean, it's not like anyone is going to mistake me for female by my outward appearance. I've never presented as female, so it's not like I think they actually think I'm female, so what of it? And even if they do, by some weird circumstance, think I'm female, I know they're wrong, and have empirical evidence to confirm it. And it's not like I think they will somehow cast a spell on me, that will somehow, magically turn me into a woman, because they addressed me as "ladies" in a group of mostly women. Hell, my job, I am the only male who holds the job title in my entire state, as it's traditionally a female job. Doesn't bother me one bit. People seem to get upset about some very minor things in my experience. Like being called sir or maam by accident, when it's just a slip of the tongue issue.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Silly Yankees and Europeans, the American South has already solved this linguistical conundrum with the invention of the gender neutral plural "y'all".

Embrace it.

Y'all're welcome.

This is about right actually...I've grown up in an environment where people have used 'ya'll' but also in an environment whereby a woman referred to me and others (a group made up mostly of girls) as "guys". I think it's kind of common here in this part of the easy/south US.

 

[omega 616]

Which is what SJW's are calling "micro aggressions", which I agree is fucking stupid.

I think it's fine and do it myself, otherwise I'd sound like I'm out of West side story ""guys and gals" or "we're just a bunch of crazy guys and dolls" .... and nobody wants that!

 

[Parasondox]

Well. You just assumed a gender.

Fucking Triggered!!

I hear women call and refer to other women as "hey, guys". No fuss caused. Plus, my dad and I call our partner, if I had one, our "lady friend". Some weird Southern thing we picked up.

 

[Nazulu]

Nah, it's alright. I like saying "you lot" for groups, because it sounds funny to me.

 

[Bobular]

Nah, it's alright. I like saying "you lot" for groups, because it sounds funny to me.

I've only really heard 'you lot' used by teachers towards a disruptive class, as in 'You lot better calm down or no one is going home today'.