Is “you guys” a gender-neutral term? I must admit that I have a habit of using it as such. I grew up with The Electric Company and then The Goonies, which both proudly used the phrase, “Hey, you guys!!!!” I didn’t think much about if for a long time, but is it offensive and exclusionary to use the phrase now?
In the grand scheme of things there are many terms far more offensive to me than if someone says “you guys” to a group that includes women. Still, just because the phrase is not that bad doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to do better. There are plenty of more inclusive alternatives to “you guys” that won’t risk making half the population feel like an afterthought. Here are 40 gender-neutral alternatives to “you guys,” and there are many more.
- You
- Y’all
- Yinz
- Everybody
- Friends
- People
- Peops
- Folks
- Humans
- Chums
- Pals
- Cohorts
- Gang
- Crew
- Squad
- Pack
- Posse
- Colleagues
- Peers
- Team
- Teammates
- Mates
- Companions
- Compatriots
- Associates
- Confidants
- Confederates
- Consorts
- Conjugates
- Crowd
- Throng
- Horde
- Brood
- Covey
- Coterie
- Plebs
- Band
- Lot
- Kit
- Mortals*
*Note: Could be considered insensitive if your group includes immortal beings.
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Kim Z. Dale 