6 ms·
Not the op, but female as well. Guy is a general term most times, but I've known a few women that get offended by it because they aren't male. Dude is also us
by Broken_Hippo 10y ago
Not the op, but female as well.
Guy is a general term most times, but I've known a few women that get offended by it because they aren't male.
Dude is also used for both, but a lot of folks don't want to use that in the office. Alternatively, just use person and be safe.
- stcredzero 10y ago"Folks"?
- Jtsummers 10y agoThat's one I often use. It's truly gender-neutral. "Alright folks, let's get this meeting started." vs "Alright guys, let's get this meeting started."
- webtechgal 10y agoYes!! :-)
- Broken_Hippo 10y agoThat has slipped into my vocabulary. I moved to Norway, and started learning Norwegian. Folk is one of the words for people, and has some other uses too. And it crept into my English vocabulary. I think I sound weird when I use it sometimes, but you are the first to point it out :)
- stcredzero 10y agoI always think of Pete Seeger when I say it.
- monksy 10y ago> women that get offended by it because they aren't male. There are a few people who get upset over it or intentionally make a vocial issue out of something that isn't. ("Guys" is generally a genderless term ["You guys, take a look at this!"]
- Broken_Hippo 10y agoI completely agree.
- geoka9 10y agoWould you be comfortable saying that to a group of females in a professional environment?
- monksy 10y ago"How are you guys doing?" Yep. It's the northeastern influence on my mannerisms.
- Broken_Hippo 10y agoI would be comfortable using, "guys" for females. I do it all the time. And I'm also female. However, I would not say that some people get offended by everything or that they are looking for things to get offended by - not in a professional environment at least. Though I believe it to be reality, I think saying this bit would cause more problems than the word, "guys". I'd also avoid the term, "guys and gals", but that's mostly because I dislike it, but that's just personal preference.
- FreedomToCreate 10y agoBe safe!!!!!! From what? Being scared of offending someone over the word dude or guys. I can't even imagine the anxiety you must suffer from if you are trying to avoid offending anyone. Hey I'm offended you used the word op. When I was a kid, these kids used to bully me by calling me an Op. Can you refrain was using that word.
- Jtsummers 10y agoMost of the time there's just a handful of cases to be aware of when communicating with others to avoid offending anyone. And it's actually a pretty stress-free experience if you choose to speak to people in a professional setting using professional, formal language. This is very much a cultural issue. From my time in Korea, a young person speaking to an older person in a familiar way would've been a major faux pas. On the other hand, the reverse (and consequent potential for put downs on the younger person) seemed quite common (older referring to younger more familiarly than had been earned). Similar experience in Spanish-language communities and cultures. English, particularly American, speaking communities have developed an incredibly tendency towards informality and unearned familiarity in our language. That's not a bad thing, strictly speaking, but it is something to consider. When you enter into a professional setting, or a setting with people you aren't familiar with, just speak to them in more formal, professional, or polite ways and you are incredibly unlikely to offend someone (outside the occasional, "My father was Mr. Such-and-such, I'm just Bob", or random enlisted Army guy, "Don't call me sir, I work for a living"). It is stress-free if this sort of language is something you practice on a daily basis, it's just how you speak to people.
- Broken_Hippo 10y agoWell, I'll try... Yeah, horrible choice of words on my behalf :)