Dear Sirs

[Suzanne12]

Is this an acceptable way to start an email that will be received by either a man or a woman? Would you say something if a colleague used this term to send an email to a generic inbox?

Yabu - it's fine
Yanbu - it's not acceptable anymore

Technically "Dear Sirs" is used when writing a letter to a company or business and the letter will conclude "Yours faithfully"

It is archaic. The usual way is - if you know the name of the sender - "Dear Mr X or Dear Mrs X" and conclude "Yours sincerely" but this is even [in my mind] over the top in an e-mail. Just start it and finish it with your full name

@Suzanne12

clearly, some people would be offended if they received ann email addressed to 'Dear Sirs', right?
Would people be offended to receive an email addressed to Dear Madam/Sir?
If not, why keep using the potentially offensive form?

A person's sex is male. They identify as a woman. Their 'gender' dictates they are to be addressed as madam rather than sir. Otherwise, the speaker runs the risk of being accused of a hate crime which could result in the the full force of the Twitterati being brought down upon their head and a complaint being made to West Yorkshire Police so their thinking can be checked

I am well aware of this. However, I do not see how using Dear Madam/Sir is offensive to someone who thinks that they actually are the opposite sex? Surely if he 'feels' that he is a woman then 'Madam' applies to him?
This is what I meant in saying that gender is irrelevant here.

Someone mentioned their disdain for 'Ms'. We always, always address a letter to a named woman as 'Ms' unless you know for certain that she has a different preference. No one needs to be in the business of guessing at your marital status.

"Dear Miss or Mrs" achieves the same end.

"Dear Miss or Mrs" achieves the same end.

Joke. But only just.

"Dear Miss or Mrs" achieves the same end.

It suggests that the letter writer is unaware that there's a way to address women when one doesn't know (or care about) their marital status.

I’d want to reply ‘Dear Madame’

I would never write that but I might say Dear Sir or Madam.

If the sender is a new/junior employee and this is the company standard address it cannot possibly be their personal fault for using it. As some have said, this seems to be a standard address in some legal firms.

The problem lies surely with the culture of the organisation in using a term that is outdated and sexist.

I learned Dear Sir or Madam in primary school, and I am approaching fifty. There is really no reason for this. There was a time when you had a close to 100% chance the recipient would be a man. Now it's more 50-50, so why do it?

Very outdated. It may have been ok in the 1950s!

• I am well aware of this. However, I do not see how using Dear Madam/Sir is offensive to someone who thinks that they actually are the opposite sex? Surely if he 'feels' that he is a woman then 'Madam' applies to him? *This is what I meant in saying that gender is irrelevant here.

Apologies, I thought you were talking about 'Dear Sirs'. Although saying that, Sir/Madam could be offensive to a non-binary individual. Minefield.

I would chuck a letter in the bin or complain if I had a letter addressed to me or to my organisation with 'Dear Sirs'.

Someone mentioned above addressing a letter to 'Miss' or 'Mrs' and that being fine. I haven't been a Miss since I was 12 and neither am I a Mrs. I would not appreciate a letter addressed to Miss/Mrs. Using these terms instead of Ms if you don't know a woman's (as there is no equivalent for men) is also very outdated.

seems to be standard for solicitors letters

I’m 45 and even I was taught sir or madam over 30 years ago. Was very surprised to see it in a work context this year and did call it out. And actually ALL the addressees were female.

Can’t believe a poster on here still thinks it’s ok ‘if you don’t know’

It’s really not

"Afaik it's widely used in legal"

As is a lot of sexist language. I agree it's not acceptable.

No way!
Dear Sir/Madam is correct.

I'm a professional, and responsible for reviewing letters and emails written by the junior staff.

I don't let them send anything out that says "Dear Sirs" unless we know for a fact it is just going to a group of men. I make a point of knocking this out of them in their first six months because everyday sexism has no place in my profession.

Dear Mesdames, you're welcome.

Some of the companies I work with use this on their quotes. I do think its odd as I've requested the quote so they can see my (typically female sounding) name and haven't bothered to address me directly.

I would't kick up a fuss but it does make me think twice about the companies that do this.

To whom it may concern if you really don’t know on a letter/email

As a litigation solicitor, I quite like it. It tends only to be in extremely aggressive litigation correspondence and I find it personally quite helpful in separating myself from the correspondence and not taking it personally.

When it's 'madam' or me by name, I can't do that. We've occasionally had litigants in person who do that and it can easily slip into becoming a personal attack, especially if you have an unusual name.

If it is replaced, it should be replaced with the firm name not an individual's name as you are acting in behalf of the firm, not yourself.

It suggests that the letter writer is unaware that there's a way to address women when one doesn't know (or care about) their marital status.

I'd have thought it was clear that the writer is deliberately refusing to acknowledge the existence of the third title. Although I said I was joking, I've addressed a letter thus - to someone whose preferred title I didn't know, rather than someone who I knew preferred "Ms". I'd use "Ms" if I had to.

it is typically when you're emailing on official duty that you use the term and it is more that you are emailing the organisation rather than the individual when that term is used

I agree with this. I’m a solicitor in the civil service and this is used routinely in both emails and letters to us and from us.

I can’t say it’s ever bothered me. But I can appreciate why it would bother others.

Can we just get this right. Dear Sirs is normal for law firms who are totally bloody archaic. It's still unacceptable! The vast majority of law firms have moved on and if they haven't they need to be challenged.