Is it inclusive to address group of people "guys"? (2024)

FAQs

Is it inclusive to address group of people "guys"? ›

I would not worry about it too much in an informal setting, like when you are meeting friends somewhere. You could also address them as "everyone" or "folks." In a formal setting, "guys" doesn't sound so great and might even be offensive. I would say "Hello everyone," or "ladies and gentlemen."

You said it yourself, even the dictionary confirms that "guys" is gender-neutral, and it always will be. Dimitro, If you are addressing a group of people as “guys” isn't gender inclusive. The word guys have a gender-neutral sense This will refer to both male and female counterparts.

The words army, flock, and bunch are all examples of collective nouns. These nouns are all singular nouns but they refer to a group of people or things. In most cases, collective nouns use singular verbs. That's because collective nouns refer to a group of multiple people or things as a single unit or entity.

Inclusive ways to address a group include “folks,” “people,” “you all, “y'all,” and “team.” Recognize the impact of mental health language: “Bipolar,” “PTSD,” “OCD,” and “ADD” are real mental health diagnoses that people possess.

There are better alternatives, such as “Hey, everyone” or “Hey, folks” that are not gender-assuming, Jeffers added. Sociologist Sherryl Kleinman wrote an essay in the journal Qualitative Sociology against terms such as “you guys” in 2002, pointing out that they reinforce a language that already privileges men.

Gentlemen, Men, Gang, Group, Crew. If in doubt you could always use their names.

Folks: great for friendly conversations and feels gender-inclusive, but could be a little informal depending on your business environment. People: inclusive and good for formal conversations, but can feel impersonal. Humans: fully inclusive, but a little impersonal for some situations.

Phrases like “Hello everyone” or “Hi team” or “Hi all” are easy substitutes, that make everyone feel valued and included, regardless of their gender.

association band body class club company crowd faction gang organization party society troop.

Is it correct to say a group of people? ›

In fact, the word “group” is an example of a collective noun, though it is not specific to one type of thing. For example, you can talk about a “group of people” or a “group of cars.” Alternatively, most collective nouns refer to very specific things.

One of the easiest ways to write a professional salutation for a group is to use a generic term that applies to everyone in the audience, such as "Dear Team", "Hello Everyone", or "Greetings". This is a safe and neutral option that works well for internal communications, casual messages, or general announcements.

A group, a gathering, a crowd, a multitude, a cohort, a gang, a crew, a unit, a band, a mob, a troop, a squadron, a party.

Using gender-inclusive language means speaking and writing in a way that does not discriminate against a particular sex, social gender or gender identity, and does not perpetuate gender stereotypes.

Sometimes people do not feel comfortable sharing their pronouns. However, in general, it is safe to use they/them/theirs unless the person tells you otherwise. Model inclusive language. Instead of using “you guys”, try using non-gendered words such as, “everyone”, “you all”, “students”, “colleagues”, or “scholars”

"Guy" usually refers to one man, while "Guys" refers to group of people, male or female. So "Those guys" would mean "Those people". Or "Hey guys" could mean "Hey people!".

The use of "you guys" as a way to address a group of people has been considered casual and colloquial. However, it's important to be mindful that some people may find it exclusionary or gendered. Alternatives like "everyone," "folks," or "you all" can be used to be more inclusive and respectful of diverse identities.

You guys' is correct written, pronounced you guys's. (Dropping the s on the written version because guys is a plural, not because I think it should always be dropped if the word ends in an s.) You rather than your because you guys is a unit and the possessive case doesn't need to be commuted across each element of it.