193
submitted 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by MajorMajormajormajor@lemmy.ca to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] OurToothbrush@lemmy.ml 4 points 8 months ago

Literally a trans woman. It is also rude to cis women but cis women don't really worry about being misgendered the same way.

[-] jsomae@lemmy.ml 5 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Literally a cis woman. I'll avoid calling you you guys. My trans friends approve of its usage though. I don't find its usage rude when applied to me. Please don't try to play the identity card just to win an argument.

[-] OurToothbrush@lemmy.ml 0 points 8 months ago

How much have you read on setting male as the default as it relates to misogyny?

[-] jsomae@lemmy.ml 3 points 8 months ago

I'll take s/actress/actor/g any day of the week.

[-] pivot_root@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I'm not invalidating your experiences, and you do you. I wouldn't put it past shitty people to use it passive-aggressively as a way to misgender someone, and if you've experienced that, I am truly sorry you've had to deal with such shitheads.

At the same time, I know plenty of trans and cis women that don't see it as rude or invalidating of their gender identity, and even use it themselves to refer to groups of people with mixed genders.

It's a matter of boundaries and knowing one's company. Some people are cool with it, and some people aren't. It would be nice if everyone was using ungendered terms by default, but that's going to take a while, unfortunately.

this post was submitted on 05 Mar 2024
193 points (78.0% liked)

Asklemmy

43760 readers
1105 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy ๐Ÿ”

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

  1. Open-ended question
  2. Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
  3. Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
  4. Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
  5. An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de~

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS