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.

YANBU

@KetoIFWinne
Definitely no age cut off for 'lads' where I am in Ireland

That said, lads is a term my generation uses (for any age), but I"ve never heard my mother, say, use it to describe her friends. I'm not sure my children use it that much either.

I don't mind it. How else do you casually and jovially acknowledge a group of people?

Which doesn't sound really formal or inappropriate.

Guys is neutral (see dictionary), so anyone who is offended is only offended because they want to be

I didn't mind, but now I think about it, why should the default, all-inclusive word be a word which until very recently meant "All you male folk"?
It's like talking about "prehistoric man", it's said to refer to male and female, and yet you picture a man, not women.
So, actually, I don't think it's gender neutral, I think it's "all you male people plus of course any women who are here".
If I say " I saw a guy the other day who..." you don't picture a female, do you?

Well, if we're going to be OTT about it...

A group of guys (people) might guy (secure) a guy (bonfire effigy) to a bonfire with guy ropes. Or, maybe the"Guys" are a group of two or more people named Guida or Guido. So, maybe it's not sufficiently clear whether one means any people or just people called Guido/Guida.

I vote you revive joes (sweetheart) instead. It will be more affectionate and more confusing. "Hey, joes!" :)

Mind you, I might be mildly guying the whole debate. But, I do not mind who you call guys. It is just a slang word for people.

It's interesting that all the 'gender neutral' stuff seems to be what technically would be the male version isn't it.

I think we should popularise the female versions too for gender neutral usage, after all, it would be churlish to complain at 'Hi ladies' just because you're a man. in exactly the same way it's apparently being prickly to not like being referred to as a guy when you're a woman.

Sauce for the goose and all that.

I don't mind it. How else do you casually and jovially acknowledge a group of people?

Hi Everyone?

Or if you want to be cheesy, "how's it going peeps"

'Guys' obviously refers to males. So yes, YABU.

I use 'folks' a lot at work. Oh god, maybe i should stop.

Guys doesn't bother me. it's just a bit American. And it reminds me of social media influencers trying to flog you something.

I mean by email. If i used folks face to face that would be a bit odd.

I hate it.

Well, one alternative would be to address a mixed sex group as "Guys and Gals" - but Jimmy Saville's use of that phrase has tainted it forever. In a formal setting I think it's nice to address a group as "Ladies and Gentlemen" and in an informal setting the phrase "Hello Everybody" works fine.

Funny enough my then 6yo raised this as an issue a few years ago. She came home from a group activity and was a bit annoyed. "He thought I was a boy - he called us guys". She got it! Before YT'ers ate her brain away.

Would you use 'gals' instead? No?
That's why it's not neutral or really suitable for a mixed sex group. I wouldn't be professionally offended, but I think it's a lazy default male word to use.

It is very Cliff Richard.

I don't like it.

But what dislike even more, is the "right?" at the end of a question.

Are you asking yourself a question at the end of your original question, or have you answered your own question, and didn't really need to ask us, because you made our minds up for usyour own mind up?

I'm overthinking/easily confused.

Lowprofilename

I would like Bro.

I’m not offended by it on the basis of gender but it does make me cringe as a phrase. Going to a restaurant (it seems to be endemic at Loch Fyne) with my 75 year old parents in law and being greeted by some teenager saying ‘hi guys, I’ll be your waiter today’ is awful - it’s just so inappropriate!

Guys doesn’t bother me.

I hate ‘girls’. It’s usually said to me by a woman who likes to feel superior. I haven’t been a girl for a good couple of decades.

Nowhere near as annoying as, aged 15, when a supply teacher came into our slightly rowdy Graphics class and, halfway through the register went 'MY GOD! YOU'VE GOT A WOMAN IN HERE!'

Yes, thanks, supply teacher. Always good to be singled out.

@bringbacksideburns

I use 'folks' a lot at work. Oh god, maybe i should stop.

Guys doesn't bother me. it's just a bit American. And it reminds me of social media influencers trying to flog you something.

It is common usage in the US, at least informally.

Interesting thread noble.
I’m guilty of saying ‘guys’ to a mixed group and ‘girls’ to a group of ladies and ‘boys’ or ‘guys’ to a group of men. Think it’s about time I stopped. I’ll be reading The Invisible Woman - not heard of it. We are surrounded by Everyday sexism so I appreciate it being highlighted.

One of my teen DDs calls her female friends ‘bro’ as they do her. Again, a male term that’s not only acceptable but a real term of endearment in her social circle.