Hi guys! You don’t mind if I call you guys, right?

[noblegiraffe]

Just out of interest, if you are female:

YABU: yes, I do mind being referred to in a group as guys, even if it’s just a minor niggle that I will never bring up.

YANBU: I don’t give a toss if you refer to me in a group as a guys. It’s a gender-neutral word these days.

Of course I don’t mind. How could anyone mind it unless they’re one of the professionally offended?

I couldn’t care less being called guys and I’m female and sometimes call the women on my team guys, or a family group of mixed genders.

It annoys me but I don’t complain when people do it. I can’t be arsed.

We have a new senior at work and he does this - find it faux friendly and grating am afraid!

It’s a gender neutral expression now, if someone was to be bothered by this, they must have a tough time on a daily basis, taking exception to such minutiae

I don't like it if they are over friendly (ie shorten my name if they don't know me) which usually people who use the phrase are, but if it's in a "hey guys, can you follow me" type of thing if I'm being guided somewhere then I certainly don't mind as a female. I'd prefer it to "ladies" tbh.

Are there people that actually mind?

I don't like it, I struggle to describe why though. It's a bit children's telly or a bit Cliff Richard. 😄
I wouldn't complain if someone did it but I did tell my very close friend that he doesn't need to address me like he does his youth club kids.

I hate it. Particularly annoying when young waiters in restaurants barely older than my teenage son ask "is everything ok with you guys?" midway through a meal.

My colleague call us chaps.

Guys I can live with, I think that's gender neutral now but think that chaps implies male.

I don't like it. No need to say it.

Reminds me of pizza hut and is a bit fake jovial but doesn't actually bother me

I like 'guys'. Can't even see why it's offensive?

I don’t like it as I think it is a stupid phrase and I’m not a guy. I wouldn’t call a man a guy either, to me it is an American-ism which I wouldn’t personally choose to use.

I don’t find it offensive, just one of those phrases I dislike. A bit like ‘nom nom’

Something else for the perpetually offended to be annoyed by.
Means absolutely nothing, chill.

I don't mind it. Just as long as nobody calls me "cis", we're grand.

I use it all the time... never thought anything of it. Just meant a collective of people I know...

Walking into a party "hi guys"
Ditto pub/park/House

Didnt ever think anybody would be offended by a cheery, pleased to see you all , greeting.

@toomanyplants

Something else for the perpetually offended to be annoyed by. Means absolutely nothing, chill.

I'm not perpetually offended. I don't like it. We were asked our opinion by the OP.

think that chaps implies male.

What is different between chaps and guys except more people use it? Or ‘Lads’ (also applied to mixed groups)?

If you said you saw a guy or a chap or a lad walking down the road....is it gender neutral?

Yes, folks is annoying too, as it is usually has an adjective to single out a group - disabled folks, LGBT folks etc. Creeping in but not as common as guys.

I see "guys" as gender-neutral in practice - I use it all the time and don't mind it at all!

I got told off once for calling a mixed-gender group "guys" when I worked at a cafe. It was a really casual place, so I didn't think not to say it, but I was definitely more careful after that. I also wouldn't use "guys" at my current work (office-based) unless I'm referring to people I already have a good/friendly relationship with, just in case.

It doesn't bother me at all.

@noblegiraffe

think that chaps implies male.

What is different between chaps and guys except more people use it? Or ‘Lads’ (also applied to mixed groups)?

If you said you saw a guy or a chap or a lad walking down the road....is it gender neutral?

It's strange when you think about it, but it's just one of those quirks of colloquial language and how it's developed over time. Like how "literally" is used to mean "figuratively" a lot of the time now.

For me personally: lad, chap, guy in the singular = male. Lads or guys in the plural = non-specific. I would say "alright lads" or "hi guys" to a mixed group of friends without thinking twice about it, although not "chaps", because that still refers to males in my mind. As I said, just an example of usage evolving over time :)