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Is the phrase "you guys" gender specific or gender neutral?

Poll - Total Votes: 62

Gender neutral -- can apply to a group of men or women or mixed

Gender specific -- applies to men only

🤷

You can only vote on one answer.

I group up in New England (the northeastern most region of America) and there the phrase is used in a gender neutral fashion.

One of my friends down here just said, "I'm not a guy," when I used the phrase this way.

How about where you're from? Neutral or specific?

Top | Newest First | Oldest First

Scribbles · 36-40, F

I think it's mostly Gender neutral for 90 percent of people who hear the phrase often, and 10 percent probably dislike it and feel the term is lacking. That may differ depending on where a person is from. If you are ok with possibly offending someone or encountering a sarcastic "I'm not a guy"...then use it. If you don't want to risk offending someone and dealing with it then don't say it. I figure that's a good rule of thumb for anything.

Personally I don't use it because the phrase reminds me of the movie "the Goonies" and I HATE that movie.

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@Scribbles Lol, someone else mentioned that movie and I've never seen it. 🤷

But, yes, I generally do avoid the phrase when I'm outside of New England because I know that cultural norms do vary. But I fell into my "relaxed" speaking patterns and she caught me. Btw, not in an offended way, but a teasing way. She and I joke often about how her southern belle personality might someday rub off on my northern brashness and vice versa.

SW-User

I think it's gender neutral, granted the "guys" is a masculine pronoun it's also used as the pronoun when talking about a group, even with mixed genders

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@SW-User Yup, that's how I use it.

HoraceGreenley · 56-60, M

For most people it's neutral.

For the Perpetually Offended, Woke, Virtue Signaling, Vegan Cyclist crowd it is a microaggression trigger requiring a Time Out in a Safe Space with coloring books and puppies.

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@HoraceGreenley Lol, she's not any of that, but she is from the south which is worse!

(Just kidding!)

HoraceGreenley · 56-60, M

@sarabee1995 OK...well if she was from New England, you and I know that I'm probably right.

Straylight · 31-35, F

I'd say neutral, but I've also referred to a mixed group as "ladies".

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Straylight · 31-35, F

@sarabee1995 When I say it it is. Maybe they need to reconsider their view on genders. 😌

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@Straylight Lol, there's a true statement!!!!

SW-User

@Straylight 😂🤣

Pinkstarburst · 51-55, F

Hope this helps

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brian29715 · 46-50, M

@Pinkstarburst clear as mud

Pinkstarburst · 51-55, F

@brian29715 🤪

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@Pinkstarburst Lol, thanks.

SooperSarah

I don't see why anybody would be bothered enough to feel the need to say something. Did she really think you were confused about whether she is male or female?
"You guys," "kid," even "dude" are used for all genders and ages where I am and nobody cares.

Maybe everyone should just switch to saying "you people." I doubt anyone would be offended by being referred to as a person, but I've been surprised before.

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Yulianna · 26-30, F

@sarabee1995 @SooperSarah

nor, i venture to suggest, would any of you refer to a group that contained at least one man, as "you girls", without expecting some come back from the guy/guys. and it would be quite reasonable for them to object.

SooperSarah

@Yulianna It's pretty widely accepted and understood that "you guys" is gender neutral.

Your question is the same as replacing "mankind" with something like "womankind." One has a generally accepted meaning, even if it's not technically correct, and the other is someone trying to make a point.

Yulianna · 26-30, F

@SooperSarah "mankind" has been widely used, but is now more correctly expressed as "humankind" - which is clearly inclusive and gender neutral.

this is not at all the same as "you guys" and "you girls", both of which are gender specific and exclusive. otherwise, i am sure you would agree, it would be perfectly acceptable to address a group of guys as "you girls".

Rutterman · 46-50, M

Southerners and those with southern roots don't have this problem. "Y'all" (you all) is what they/we say instead of "you guys". It is a gender neutral way of referring to any group of people.

I understand "you guys" to be gender neutral north of the Mason-Dixon line, but you can expect to be corrected again if you continue to say that when you're dealing with southerners.

I'm personally in the habit of saying "you all" or simply "you".

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Rutterman · 46-50, M

@Yulianna What? Lol. Not true. 😄

Yulianna · 26-30, F

@Rutterman 😂🤗

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@Rutterman Yup. I've always thought it was a north-south thing and my friend here is from the south. But the poll seems to be going almost exclusively gender neutral.

@Yulianna 😂😂😂

Budwick · 70-79, M

One of my friends down here just said, "I'm not a guy," when I used the phrase this way.

Sara - Not only is this person not a guy, she's not a friend.

What kind of ass hole response is that?
And to a friend?
Your friend has a jagged PC stick up her butt.

You guys is neutral - certainly among friends. IMO

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Budwick · 70-79, M

@bellybuttonfan17 I don't feel bitten.
I can see you are one of those that
#1 MUST have the last word
#2 well, I guess that's about it.

Go ahead Belly - Speak!

DukeOfEarle · M

I have to shout you down and get in the last word because that proves I am right and defends my fragile ego cuz if I don’t I will eat the family size bag of Doritos and blame the world for all my problems. (Hands on ears and shouting) La la la not listening! La la la not listening! @Budwick

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@bellybuttonfan17, @Budwick, @DukeOfEarle -- First, I'm quite capable of speaking for myself. No one needs to ever tell anyone else what I did or didn't say. Next, if ya wanna beat each other up, please go do it someplace else. Displays of testosterone do not impress here. In fact, it has quite the opposite effect on me. Finally, ... oh never mind, I forget what I originally wanted to respond to here anyway. Sheesh!

Be well.

Vivaci

It's a phrase coined to address a bunch of friends or group of people irrespective of their gender, IMHO

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@Vivaci I agree! 👍

Vivaci

@sarabee1995 🥂

stound

careful, you'll be tagged as a microaggressor.

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@stound Lol, tag away. I don't acknowledge labels.

stound

@sarabee1995 not a danger from me. Just saying it can happen.

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@stound Eh, not a concern here.

TheOneyouwerewarnedabout · 46-50, MVIP

You should have replied... ‘stfu’

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@TheOneyouwerewarnedabout I don't recall saying how I replied! 😉

MLGecko · 46-50, M

FreeSpirit1 · F

[image/video deleted]

SW-User

Mixed or all men

imo

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@SW-User But not a group of women?

SW-User

@sarabee1995 I wouldn't use it for that

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@SW-User Cool. I use it (when I'm home in New England) for groups of men, or groups of women, or mixed. If you don't mind my asking, since I think these habits are regional, what part of the country or the world are you from?

SW-User

It's the same as saying 'mankind'. It applies to everyone but stems from the older misogynistic mindset which people don't think about now 'cause they're used to it and use it as a gender neutral term

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SW-User

@pride49 Im not sure about dat 'cause I read somewhere 'woman' had nothing to do with 'man'

pride49 · 31-35, M

@SW-User I remember reading that crap in the bible of all places

SW-User

@pride49 religious texts are full of misogyny.. I wonder why? 😂

SW-User

It's neutral. It's filling a gap in pronoun system (we have no plural "you" so we have to use phrases like "you all", "you guys", or in some areas, "y'all").

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sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@SW-User 👍

SW-User

@SW-User I knew a girl who always used 'people' 🤭

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@SW-User I've heard that too. "You people"... Slightly different meaning, but works.

TheSirfurryanimalWales · 61-69, M

Miss Gaga uses it all the time.It is gender neutral.

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SW-User

@Yulianna lol, clever!

TheSirfurryanimalWales · 61-69, M

@Yulianna very good,🐑😀😹

Yulianna · 26-30, F

@SW-User 🙂

Yulianna · 26-30, F

🙂 can i please have a "don't know"? i cannot find an equivalent phrase in my language which says one but means both...

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@Yulianna Your option is added, my love!

Yulianna · 26-30, F

@sarabee1995 😂

Wolf90 · M

I would have thought gender neutral. It is applied to men, women and mixed groups here in Australia, at least in my experience!

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@Wolf90 Good to know! 👍

bellybuttonfan17 · 36-40, M

It really doesn't depend where you're from. It depends on who you are addressing it to. I have friends from all over. In some groups, it flies just fine. I one group, I used it and the girl in the group said "I am not a guy". So I just switched to "Hey all, or hey ya'll" .

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sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@bellybuttonfan17 Yup, agree.

bellybuttonfan17 · 36-40, M

@sarabee1995 P.S: please check DM for important msg.

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@bellybuttonfan17 Oh, sorry, I don't spend a lot of time in private messages. When I'm on here, I'm usually out here.

BeefySenpie · M

My faith in humanity has been restored by the current result of said poll

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@BeefySenpie Lol, exactly. Mine too!

McRen

I use it as a neutral term as well.

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@McRen Are you from the northeast USA?

McRen

No, I am from Canada. @sarabee1995

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@McRen Oh, interesting 🤔

FaeLuna · 31-35, F

It's neutral everywhere I've encountered it.

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@FaeLuna Thanks 👍

TheConstantGardener · 56-60, M

I've used it when talking to a group of 30 females. 🤷🏻‍♂️

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@TheConstantGardener Are you from the northeast USA?

SW-User

I use it gender neutral. I would also keep using it if someone asked me not to.

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DukeOfEarle · M

Case in point: Like Pavlov’s dog, you’ve been triggered. I however am largely amused by what people say or think of me. Opinions are like assholes. Most of them stink. So let’s see what your hypersensitive reply is going to be. @Yulianna

SW-User

@Yulianna @DukeOfEarle I blocked the troll. No sense in responding.

Yulianna · 26-30, F

@DukeOfEarle 🤣

Jlhzfromep · M

We just say “y’all”

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@Jlhzfromep Oh no! Don't get me started on all y'all!!!

Jlhzfromep · M

@sarabee1995 ok, I yield to your treat...lol

vetguy1991 · 51-55, M

It is gender neutral for me

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@vetguy1991 We think alike! 👍

pride49 · 31-35, M

Neutral. I live in Ohio united states

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@pride49 👍

Sroonaka616 · 31-35, M

I use the word guys a lot even if they are girls in the group.

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Yulianna · 26-30, F

@Sroonaka616 @sarabee1995 and what would happen if the girls all started calling the guys gals?

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@Yulianna They (the guys) would likely perceive it as an insult or as demeaning.

Yulianna · 26-30, F

@sarabee1995 well, well, well... who'd have guessed that 🤔

MistyCee

I've been told that it's gendered, and that y'all is preferable ... By a Yankee young woman who further told me that kids shouldn't say yes ma'am or yes, sir.

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@MistyCee Shouldn't say yes ma'am or yes sir??? I learned to show respect when I was very young and think that more people should learn the same.

MistyCee

@sarabee1995 Me too. She's a sweet girl but she needs to grow up a bit.

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@MistyCee 👍

EugenieLaBorgia · F

We have as a dear friend of ours, one of England's church vicars who often refers to us in this way. It's very nice!

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@EugenieLaBorgia To me it is simply normal. :)

EugenieLaBorgia · F

@sarabee1995 Yes! I rather like it!

4meAndyou · F

It's gender neutral in Massachusetts. I say it all the time, referencing mixed group, or groups of women. To me, it means, "you people".

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@4meAndyou Same. But then I'm also from Massachusetts.

ShadowSister · 46-50, F

I worked that phrase out of my vocabulary for many years. Then in the past few years, I've been observing much more closely the ways women use language. I discovered that it was actually more women who used the phrase of other women than men of other men. So ironically, I added it back into my vocabulary.

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PTCdresser57 · 61-69, M

ShadowSister..for some reason..me being from WI also...women do use the phrase more than guys do.

ShadowSister · 46-50, F

@PTCdresser57 It's honestly never occurred to me that this might be a regional thing. I'm glad I had this conversation!

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@ShadowSister Yup, it does. I was trying to get a sense for how widespread the generic use of "guys" actually was. I've gotten in the habit of not using it outside of New England, but it seems based on my poll that it is now near universal.

deadgerbil · 26-30

It's a neutral phrase.

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@deadgerbil agreed!

Dusty101 · F

I just think of the goonies when I hear it!
Gender neutral!

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DukeOfEarle · M

An 80’s Chris Columbus film with Spielberg producing

[image/video deleted]

@sarabee1995

sarabee1995 · 26-30, F

@DukeOfEarle 👍️

DukeOfEarle · M

Funny thing is I have never seen this film. I get the references, know the general story line and have seen clips, but never the whole film, 🤷🏻‍♂️ @sarabee1995