Using "hey guys" to greet colleagues may seem harmless, but experts say it reinforces gender bias and can make some people feel excluded. The term "guys" originates from Guy Fawkes, the 17th-century conspirator, and has evolved into a casual address for groups. However, it remains a masculine word that privileges men, according to Amy Jeffers, an organizational development specialist in diversity, equity and inclusion.
The Problem with 'Guys'
Sociologist Sherryl Kleinman wrote in a 2002 essay in Qualitative Sociology that terms like "you guys" reinforce language that already favors men. She cited examples such as chairman, postman and freshman. "'Get over it,' some people say. Those words are generic. They apply to everyone. But then how come so-called generics are always male?" Kleinman wrote.
GLSEN, an education organization advocating for LGBTQ and marginalized students, recommends defaulting to gender-neutral language like "friends," "folks," "all" or "y'all" instead of "brothers and sisters," "guys," "ladies," "ma'am" or "sir."
Alternatives to 'Hey Guys'
Jeffers suggests better alternatives that are not gender-assuming, such as "Hey, everyone" or "Hey, folks." A popular Twitter post by Kim Rees in 2019 listed options including: hey team, hey crew, hey all, hey folks, hey people, hey peeps, hey y'all, hey everyone, hey pals, hey friends, and hey.
Gendered Language Creeps In
Gendered language appears in other workplace communication. When describing unknown colleagues, people often default to "that guy" or "that woman." GLSEN's guide advises using descriptive language like, "Can you give this paper to the person across the room with the white T-shirt and short brown hair?" Jeffers added that using gender-neutral language is not about using "he" or "she" equally but asking, "Why are we using he or she at all? Couldn't we just be using 'they'?"
How to Correct Yourself
Mistakes happen, but it's important not to make the correction about yourself. Lily Zheng, a transgender researcher on gender ambiguity in the workplace, recounted in a 2019 Harvard Business Review podcast how a colleague misgendered them and then spent 10 minutes apologizing. "What ended up happening was I had to be their therapist. I had to say, 'No, it's OK. It's all right,'" Zheng said. They added, "Next time, look, if you keep responding like this when I correct you, I won't correct you. Me correcting misgendering is a courtesy to you."
Jeffers advises avoiding defending intentions in an apology. Instead, focus on acknowledging the mistake and committing to do better. Proactive practice helps make gender-neutral language a habit. "The more we lean into gender-neutral language, the less mistakes we make, the less room for assumption, the less awkward moments," Jeffers said. "Get good at practicing this, regardless of who is in the room, regardless if you know if someone is sensitive to this or not."
