Guys and Language Police Persons
Apparently the world today has too much time on its hands--or at least some "persons" do. Here are a couple of entries from an online essay about "proper" speech.
Guys: 
Very controversial. Used, especially in the Midwest, when referring to a group of people. “In Chicago that word gets used a lot,” says Hill. And Baim says, “I use it all of the time.” Some feminists, like Andi Zeisler, the editor of *****, find “guys” problematic. “We assume the descriptor ‘guys’ denotes a quality of universality,” she says. “It would be hard to imagine a group of men being addressed by their server as ‘hey you gals’ and not taking offense, but the reverse happens all the time.” 
Hir (hirs): 
Gender neutral for him and her. At Wesleyan University, incoming freshmen are instructed to use gender-neutral pronouns in campus correspondence. As one person wrote on the university’s online Anonymous Confession Board, “I am usually attracted only to people of hir original gender, rather than hir intended gender. As such, I’m afraid that I’m, like, viewing hir wrong, or not respecting hir wishes or something.” 
The article can be found at http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3027/a_politically_corre ct_lexicon
Makes me wonder what's the politically correct phrase for nitwit? Diferrently Nitted?
I'd sign off with gender neutral version of Doug, if I knew what it was. For now, just think of me as,
Dougish*
* Term suggesting a "Doug" but not implying any gender attributes to said "Doug."
P.S. Use of the color blue in no way connotes maleness, nor does use of bold. Many, er, women, if I may use such a term, are both blue and bold.
Doug,
Or should I address you as Dougish? How about Mr. Such?
Guys is a perfectly acceptable term when referring to a group of males in a casual setting; as in, “I was playing poker and drinking beer with the guys last night.” The antithesis for females is of course gals; as in, “My wife went to see the male stripper show with a bunch of gals last night.” Both are perfectly acceptable… if you’ve been married long enough, but then I'm from the Midwest.
Where do you think Rogers and Hammerstein would be today with, “There is Nothin’ Like a Dame”?
As for Hir, forget it. I was raised to be polite to everyone; but I also say, ”Screw political correctness”.
May Your Lantern Burn Bright,
Paul
Whew!! What a definition. I still call my children kids and don't mean to compare them to goats. I call my wife, Honey and don't mean to ofend her. Sometimes I usae the term "guys" to a mixed gender group. Oh my god! Am I going to H**l?
Hope the PC police don't track me down.
drjco
John C. Odioso Ed.D.
More people looking for something to use in promoting themselves as the victims du jour. I'd like to get offended when people refer to me as anything other than "Your Royal Highness", but that doesn't mean that I get to define my name as such. Now I could take a page out of Prince's book and change my name to some lame symbol - but that doesn't mean that people have to stop calling me Brian. Ho-hum. More people borrowing trouble from others.
Hi Doug,
In Japan, they haven't gotten that far. I teach young women and in English, I regularly call them "girls". No one cares. They do call the chairman the "Chair". But in some ways, he does resemble a piece of furniture.
Thanks for your message, by the way. Just wondering if you could send your e-mail address? Since I use Japanese OS's on my computers, I'm not able to mail out from OH.
Best Regards,
Dave
