[cooljacob204]

This one was always a tricky one for me, trying to create an email to a bunch of people in a friendly manner without using 'hey guys.' It the phrase that feels the most natural to me when speaking to group of people. I personally have always views 'guys' as inclusive of anyone, but I get others may not.

Professionally I have opted to use 'hey all' in 90% of situations because it's about as neutral as you can get. Doesn't feel as natural to me but then I don't run the risk of offending anyone.

[adrian17]

> It the phrase that feels the most natural to me when speaking to group of people.

Dictionaries seem to agree: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/guy "used to address a group of people of either sex"

[0x008]

While dictionaries are guidelines as to what is accepted use of a language, these accepted uses and dictionaries are no laws. A dictionary is only a snapshot of the rules which society agreed upon in the past and thus will certainly be changed in future.

[hackeraccount]

So we're deciding right now that "guys" is a group of men? Why are we deciding to have the least inclusive possible meaning?

[JacobSuperslav]

Because I don't know about you, the word guy sounds masculine to me.