this post was submitted on 05 Mar 2024
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So I've realized that in conversations I'll use traditional terms for men as general terms for all genders, both singularly and for groups. I always mean it well, but I've been thinking that it's not as inclusive to women/trans people.

For example I would say:

"What's up guys?" "How's it going man?" "Good job, my dude!โ€ etc.

Replacing these terms with person, people, etc sounds awkward. Y'all works but sounds very southern US (nowhere near where I am located) so it sounds out of place.

So what are some better options?

Edit: thanks for all the answers peoples, I appreciate the honest ones and some of the funny ones.

The simplest approach is to just drop the usage of guys, man, etc. Folks for groups and mate for singular appeal to me when I do want to add one in between friends.

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[โ€“] hemko@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 8 months ago

Matey/mateys, scallywags

[โ€“] Crankpork 5 points 8 months ago

"Hey gang!"

[โ€“] TypicalHog@lemm.ee 5 points 8 months ago

Guys is probably the most neutral of the ones you mentioned.

[โ€“] current@lemmy.ml 4 points 8 months ago

"Hello, losers"

[โ€“] Swallowtail 4 points 8 months ago

Y'all Y'uns Fuckers

[โ€“] golden_zealot@lemmy.ml 4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (2 children)

Fellas

edit: please correct me if you believe I am wrong, I am open to discussion.

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[โ€“] JayDee@lemmy.ml 4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)
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[โ€“] pyr0ball@reddthat.com 3 points 8 months ago

Both my partner and I use "dude" interchangeably for all genders. They're NB for context

[โ€“] pruwybn@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 8 months ago (2 children)
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[โ€“] bready2die@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 8 months ago
[โ€“] Colour_me_triggered@lemm.ee 3 points 8 months ago

Youse fucking wallopers!

[โ€“] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 3 points 8 months ago

What I use is y'all or folks for plural, and dude for singular.

[โ€“] mutter9355@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)
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[โ€“] Yerbouti@lemmy.ml 3 points 8 months ago
[โ€“] dukatos@lemm.ee 3 points 8 months ago
[โ€“] Colour_me_triggered@lemm.ee 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

The south is objectively better than the rest of the USA (from my experience as foreigner). Just go with y'all.

Also I use dude with my NB friend pretty habitually.

[โ€“] sobriquet@aussie.zone 3 points 8 months ago

All, team, friends, everyone, folks (preferably prefixed with โ€œhowdyโ€)โ€ฆ

[โ€“] danhakimi@kbin.social 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

wait, is "buddy" gendered?

I like to mix it up. but language is context dependent. "buddy" is a go-to of mine, and feels entirely gender neutral.

"my people" is good for plural.

"friend" is good as long as you have the right rhythm with it. Like, you know, in the second person, like "hello, friend."

"bro" obviously doesn't work, but I have casually referred to trans friends as "broham" and they didn't seem to mind. I don't do it often, but sometimes mixing in a good bro pun is more fun that way... go a little over the top, call somebody brobrahk brobrahma, nobody's going to be thinking that you're implying gender, it's an equally ridiculous term to call anybody by. Similarly, although context dependent, there are implicitly feminine words you can use, although some of them can be degrading in the wrong context. "Gurl," "bitch," and "slut" can work, as long as it's ridiculous enough in context not to be taken seriously. I'm a guy, I've had friends call me these. "Gurl" might not be the best for a nonbinary friend or a trans man friend, so be careful with it.

I don't know, I only have a few nonbinary friends, I guess, and I mostly refer to most of them by their names.

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