Some argue that male-generic terms such as this reinforce androcentric bias and male privilege. True, the word guys has a gender-neutral sense in of “persons of either sex people.” But the most common and prominent meaning of the word is “a man or boy fellow.” Here’s why: What’s wrong with you guys?Īddressing a group of people as “guys” isn’t gender inclusive. The gendered baggage of this term has some calling for its retirement from the English lexicon. But as gender norms evolve, the usefulness and appropriateness of you guys comes into question. We don’t mean you specifically … but the term itself.įor years, the phrase you guys has been employed as a useful workaround when addressing a mixed-gender group. Hey, y’all, it’s time to talk about you guys.
