I’ve been back and forth with this just because of my habit to use “oh man”, or “oh dude” in the past. I’ve done pretty well with changing the terminology just to keep to the discussion at hand and being respectful for anyone I’m talking to (just feels like basic public respect, like back in the day they would say “Dear Reader,” not really a PC problem to me).
So anyways, I found myself typing “oh boy” the other day and I paused to wonder about it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it brought up in discussions like man or dude. I never even thought of that phrase as it signifying the recipient is a “boy”. The more I think on it I don’t even know what the actual meaning is besides the way in which it is used (like, “shit” or “you wouldn’t believe”).
tldr: Is “oh boy” an acceptable gender-neutral response loop hole so I can be lazier when typing or has this been discussed a lot and I’ve just missed out on it?
I would love to hear the perspectives of everyone and encourage you to voice your opinion (just message if you don’t want other’s chiming in if you prefer)
In a similar vein, I’m curious about the modern consensus on “you guys,” as in, “what do you guys want to do this weekend?”
replace with Y’all
FWIW, as a woman, I’ve never cared or felt excluded when people say “you guys” or “dude”. I say these things all the time in casual conversation. The only time I’ve felt weird about it is if these terms are used in a less casual setting, and even then, it’s usually because someone has used these terms and then realized that there is, in fact, at least one woman present, and then they start tripping all over themselves to correct their wording, and it’s awkward as fuck (and a little funny) watching them try to sort themselves out.
I personally don’t like it as it makes me uncomfortable because I’m not a guy, and it makes me feel a bit excluded.
That being said, I’m fully aware it’s rarely used in a gendered way anymore so I’m don’t generally say anything. It’s just how I feel. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯