"You Guys". What a dumb saying.

[SusanLR]

Y'all seems strange unless you are used to living in the areas of the country where you hear it all the time.
I don't use it, doesn't come natural to me.
Some areas say Yous.
Here it's always You Guys or just Guys.
That's fine with me and feels comfortable because I've always wondered why everything was so gender
specific and I prefer gender neutral.
Like it used to be Mailman. Now it's mailperson.
And Ace was the place with the helpful hardware man. Now it's helpful hardware folks.

I've always felt gender neutral. I've seen some futuristic movies when a woman is in a high office
they say Mr. President or Your Honor, Sir. Even if the part is played by a woman.
If the word man is most dominant I don't care. We are all "hu-MAN-kind" after all.
Just my opinion. No offense to anyone who feels differently.

 

[Fridgemagnetman]

Like it used to be Mailman. Now it's mailperson.

and 'person hole.'

it can't be a manhole anymore. although 'Drain cover' would work better.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

As an Englishman, I'd be looked at very strangely if I went around saying, "y'all". "You guys" is a universally accepted term here. Yes, I can understand why it can be frustrating for a lot of people. Occasionally it annoys me as well despite I use it too.

I think there's more important things in life to be tackled than the use of actual harmless words than this though. Like actual harmful words.

 

[Isadoorian]

I personally have no qualms with the phrase and find it socially acceptable; of course, many others do have qualms with it mainly because it's not viewed in a "PC" manner or because it's viewed as sexist, which is hilarious in its own way; but I say they should get over it and quit their whining, it's been around for who knows how long, people have had no issues with it until more or less recently and accept the fact that there's nothing they can do about it aside from using alternative phrases as already discussed ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Otenba]

This phrase reminds me of The Goonies because a quote from it is "Hey you guys."

People love this film.

 

[onlything]

I can only say it from observation since I'm not a native English speaker, but 'you guys' is really common between young people. 'You people' just sounds rude and weird, no one really uses it. 'Guys' is considered neutral in this context and doesn't really mean a group of men. 'Y'all' is also quite common, though not as much.

 

[Tony Ramirez]

Although it is not PC I still like "you people" but now that I know I won't say it to people I will say "you all".

 

[Kirsty]

I wouldn’t say y’all if you live with Yankees. You might get your ass kicked.
Speaking from experience.

Why is this?

 

[Tony Ramirez]

Not in NY Yankees means the Bronx bombers baseball team.

 

[Xerces Blue]

there are anologs to this in other languages for example ihr - you plural in german, non formal.

 

[the_tortoise]

Many words have different meanings and connotations depending on contextual variables, such as who is speaking to whom about what, in what situation with what intent.....

So, to me, "you guys" being used as a gender-neutral way of addressing a group of people seems no weirder than using any other phrase that contains a word/words with fluid or context-dependent meanings.

English is a living language, and all living languages change over time...."guys" may have at one time referred only to males, but that's changed in many social circles. "Guys" can now refer to males, specifically, or to a group of people of any gender, depending on context.

You people' just sounds rude and weird, no one really uses it.

Yes, the phrase "you people" is typically associated with hostile feelings/intentions.

 

[Joshua the Writer]

That is why I think it stupid. Even a group of girls hanging out will say "you guys" really.

"You all" is also better to use.

In the South, we say y'all.

I just freaking cringed at myself for saying that.

I, myself, always say, "my peeps."

 

[All-Rounder]

'You people' has a slight negative undertone, depending on how it's used. It was usually said by someone who considered us weird, in somewhat a funny way. 'I don't understand you people' meaning he is distanced or not identifying with the group in a certain activity they consider weird, while 'you guys' seems more general of a use. 'Guys' as used alone seems like they are part of a group of friends, that's usually how it's used: 'Guys, check this out!'

'Can I come with you people' seems unnatural to say, and slightly uncool. It's as though I'm not even human.

'I like you people' seems totally natural and more beautiful/artistic than 'I like you guys' which is more informal seeming and may be used by younger people, as well as it seems more intimate, like with close friends.

'You people/guys make me laugh so hard' seems equal in meaning.

I like to type and imagine the sound of 'you guys' especially toward other girls, it seems cool and a term that conveys to me that I fit in. I like the non-literal sense of words, and I often try to construct such meanings.

One of my friends used to call us ninnies. It's a funny term.
ninny
nounINFORMAL
a foolish and weak person.
Sounds to me like 'sillies'. And part of it is that only the best of friends can feel so safe that they allow use and use such funny negative meaning words without feeling offended or meaning offence.

 

[All-Rounder]

In the South, we say y'all.

I just freaking cringed at myself for saying that.

I, myself, always say, "my peeps."

I try to avoid 'y'all' for that reason. xD And instead of 'you all' I prefer 'all of you'. Southerners are infamous for being gross, barbaric. Even though its a generalization which ultimately included all of you despite some being different.

Besides im not from the area so it feels like using 'my nigga' which is not cool unless youre black.

In Pennsylvania they say 'yins' or 'yinz'

Nitro, our mod, knows this.

 

[Tony Ramirez]

Still Guys is "male" common sense "male". Gals is "female" again common sense "female". People is "gender neutral". Really "normal society" is so annoying.

Don't get me started on "best friend" "best friend forever" or "bestie" even dumber. Nothing is the "best" there is always something you like better and nothing is "forever" either.

 

[Reirei]

Those have flaws too. I don't know them, though.

Yes, at least in Spanish most things have a gendered pronoun. And at least for me it was very hard to deal with trying to figure out whether to use the masculine El or the female La.

For instance, Cocina is kitchen. Is it El Cocina or la Cocina? How am I supposed to know if the kitchen is male or female? Since it isn't either? I think maybe since it ends in an "a" that perhaps la Cocina since that seems to flow a bit better?

I am also out of practice with my Spanish though.

 

[Reirei]

Yes, at least in Spanish most things have a gendered pronoun. And at least for me it was very hard to deal with trying to figure out whether to use the masculine El or the female La.

For instance, Cocina is kitchen. Is it El Cocina or la Cocina? How am I supposed to know if the kitchen is male or female? Since it isn't either? I think maybe since it ends in an "a" that perhaps la Cocina since that seems to flow a bit better?

I am also out of practice with my Spanish though.

Oh! Also this is more fitting. I just remembered that when you are referring to a group composed of females and males you defer to the male plural of Los Ninos. Whereas for only boys also Los Ninos. But for a group of only girls Las Ninas.

 

[All-Rounder]

Still Guys is "male" common sense "male". Gals is "female" again common sense "female". People is "gender neutral". Really "normal society" is so annoying.

Don't get me started on "best friend" "best friend forever" or "bestie" even dumber. Nothing is the "best" there is always something you like better and nothing is "forever" either.

That's what's fun about languages, that there are exceptions and difficulties, and that you can learn them and be the best using them correctly. Many things are a complication and non-logical in languages but they are still interesting and fun. What is logically unsensical doesn't apply to language. Such as, in American English putting a full stop outside a quote is more often wrong, in the more useful instances, e.g. quoting a saying or specifying a single word. That is true even though it looks more neatly organized without it being included in that sentence, and is very misleading if you ask a question about the quoted sentence because you then need to involve the question mark inside that quote despite that the author did not use a question mark.

My boyfriend is my best frienemy. That doesn't mean he is better or more valuable to society, but he is to me.

+gives a bucket with 'to be used if getting ill' written on it+

 

[WildCat]

 

[SimplyWandering]

The term LatinX is thrown around a lot now by certain groups to encompass All Latinos/Latinas... but relatives and friends would punch you/me in the stomach if we were to use that term.

It’s not an accepted term in Spanish-speaking countries that typically includes men and women as “Latinos” Especially with the older crowd.

This is similar in almost any language that has had standardized gender pronouns for 100s and 1000s of years.

Lest you be judged with bias , here are some Alternatives “ to you guys” that you could use:

Would you all?
Y’all
You all
Friends
My Peeps
My Ninjas ( maybe around ppl you are comfortable with.)


However I feel like after reading the OP’s posts, maybe the issue is not about offending people but more about how the words just don’t sit right on the tongue lols.