[amyjess]

Before my transition (I'm MtF), I never particularly liked "man" either. I called myself a guy and described my male friends as guys.

I still think of guys as "guys" and not "men".

[throwawayaway]

user mrits below also made associations with "woman" and formality. i have never heard any such associations or objections for man, and can't think of a situation where it has negative connotations.