To think that there should be a female equivalent to "guys" or "chaps"

[TheBossofMe]

Leading on from another thread about terms used to describe women, I realised that there isn't a word that we use to describe a group of women that is gender-specific but not age-specific.

We use the terms "guys" or "chaps" for men and boys of any age. So someone can be one of the guys if he's 5, 15 or 50.

But for women, we have "girls" which should only be applied to the young and "women" which is only applied to the not-that-young-anymore.

So we need a whole new word, a MN-originated word, that we use to describe a group of females of any age.

Because we know that if we use it enough on MN, it eventually transcends into real life, and then into popular usage, and then the OED, and then immortality beckons for us all (or something!).

Anyone got any good ideas?

I use guys as gender neutral. Have done for donkeys years and will continue to do so

I don't mind Femmes. Except that some will say Fam and some Femms. Or even Femm-es.

Under the rules of Nancy Mitford, femmes being derived from French would be automatically non-u.

«random archaic snobbery»

I like "gals", but it's too close to "girls" which reminds me of stupid Boots ads. Maybe Gals but if we emphasise the "a" and try as much as possible to sound like posh boarding school rejects.

"The gals and I are going to a bar later, want to join?" I LIKE it

More concerned about Mrs/Ms/Miss TBH. I think there should be just one equivalent of Mr and that's it.

And it's also similar to pals, which is all buddy buddy and warm and fuzzy.

The gals and I are going to a bar later, want to join?"
God no!!
It's sounds very,erm erm, dunno jolly hockey sticks type.
It wouldn't work for me with my strong Lancashire accent.

jade is slang for prostitutes? I never knew that - something new ticked off for the day.

Now I've read the previous page.

I like CJs.

I'm going to use Broad. I love it.
Makes me think of Elaine Stritch so that's a no from me!

Guys is perfectly acceptable to address girls or women too IMO and keeps things simple.

It's not, though, some people really don't like it.

I think we should all just be midlanders/northerners and call everyone 'pet' or 'love'.

Yeah I'm going with this one. Then I don't have to alter my language

It's not, though, some people really don't like it.
Well, you are never going to get everyone happy.
I am more than happy with 'girl' 'lass' 'lassie' and 'pet' but there seems to be an uproar about those words

Ellies.

I thought fam was from femme- and cheered when I heard dd using it. But it's from family.
But in fact, although its not female specific, it fits the job nicely.

I like cjs

I am meeting the cjs tonight.
She is such an amazing CJ
When I grow up I wantto be a CJ
Come on cjs
I am hanging with my cjs

North East Scotland word which fits the bill: quines. Its opposite is loons

iknow - oh, sure, true. I just wanted to say because it's always good to know something might raise eyebrows.

I used to use 'guys' as gender neutral all the time but got pulled up on it when I started teaching.

I use guys a lot, but have had to train myself out of it with a mixed-sex Indian team (offshore, so nuances fall flat)

If you're quite sure quines had nothing to do with quims?

Cjs. Hmmm. Cjs. I like.