[smelendez]

That is regional, though. I'm from New York and I've addressed groups of older female relatives as "you guys" without anyone batting an eye.

In other parts of the country that's not common and people see "guys" as gendered, and people feel like you're forgetting they're there.

The word "dude" as a form of address is gender neutral and business appropriate some places and not others.

It's a hard problem: Y'all works some places but sounds goofy and affected in others. Same with "folks."

[mwfunk]

I've lived in the Rust Belt, the southeast, and California for big chunks of my life and you're right on about regionalisms. For language or social norms in general, all that matters is how something's taken, not what was meant by it.

If I know that some phrase is really uncommon or has different shades of meaning in a different part of the country or a different part of the world, I also know that if I use that phrase in that other place, it will get interpreted differently from what it means to me. It can be frustrating if I haven't yet picked up on the differences, but it's just the nature of communication.

I have also tried to hang on to "y'all" and "folks" since moving to the west coast. "Folks" is a harder sell though, when I use it feels more like an affectation. But that's my perception of others' perceptions. Maybe I'm pulling off "folks" without realizing it. But "y'all" has more staying power, because it's a legitimately useful term that's otherwise missing from the English language.

[suppressingfire]

"you all" or "youse" can work as reasonable alternatives. I haven't tried "tons" since I've never actually heard it "used in anger."

One less fraught, but equally confusing terms are "a couple" vs. "a few" vs. "a handful" (some believe "couple" = 2 whereas others treat it and the others as explicitly more fuzzy). Often it's best to just assume as little context as possible and be a little more explicit and verbose.

[mwfunk]

Also Pittsburgh gets an honorable mention- they have "yinz" instead of y'all or youse: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yinz

[tiglionabbit]

It's not really regional. I have noticed this most from folks who are transitioning genders. Some are OK with "they", but some prefer folks to go above and beyond to affirm their new gender, thus objecting to "dude" and "guys".

As a result, I've gotten into the habit of saying "y'all" and "folks" even though I'd otherwise never have used these words.

[seanmcdirmid]

It is regional outside of the USA, quickly gaining gender neutrality in the UK, Australia, India, .... y’all or folks won’t cut it in those places.

[swish_bob]

Folk is fine in the UK and works well, as does "everybody".

[disgruntledphd2]

I use gentlefolk, to avoid this issue (also it's kinda of a cool word, that people tend not to use very much).

[C1sc0cat]

I would have said dude is male but in the UK "guys" is now gender neutral amongst younger generations.

[93s6oz]

I am European. "Y'all" and "folks" are big warning signs for me. When I see someone use those, I know where things are going.

[tertius]

Headed for profit, charm and lightheartedness?

[EGreg]

Hey everyone

Hey everybody!

Listen up people

All,

What each of you needs to do...

I have a task for all of you

Let’s all have a great time

Alright gentlemen and lady,

Everyone on the team should read this

This applies to everyone on the team

Any person on the team can do xyz

If you see something, say something

Thou hast best checkest thyself, ‘ere thee wreckest thyself!