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Calls for Aussies to stop using the term "guys" to refer to women faces backlsh

Xinhua, June 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

A call for Australians to stop using the word "guys" when referring to groups of people in the workplace has faced a fierce backlash on Thursday.

On Wednesday, 2016 Australian of the Year, General David Morrison, called for workplaces to discourage the use of the word "guys" as it was "gender exclusive" and could disadvantage women in the workplace.

As part of the newly-founded Diversity Council Australia, Morrison released a video which he said aims to discourage language which excludes minority groups.

"Exclusive language, gender-based language or inappropriate language has as much a deleterious or disadvantaged effect as something where you're saying something blatantly inappropriate to another human being," General Morrison told ABC News Breakfast.

"I have now removed ('guys') from my lexicon as best I can, I think it's important."

But throughout Wednesday and Thursday, social media exploded with comments rubbishing the calls and labeling the suggestion as 'political correctness gone mad', while researchers and even politicians weighed in on the debate - saying that, in 2016, the word "guys" was well known to be inclusive of both men and women.

Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the term "guys" is generally deemed generic enough to not cause offence, and restricting the use of language in the workplace could interfere with freedom of speech.

"I don't think we should try and interfere with the freedom of speech in this country to a point where people are too concerned about day-to-day conversations," Bishop said.

Meanwhile Australian National University (ANU) language expert Catherine Travis said shying away from the term "you guys" was a moot point, as it has evolved to include all genders.

"'Guys' is much more generalized than the other examples so has much less risk of offending," she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Thursday.

"That is, mum really only refers to a mum, girls only refers to girls, whereas the meaning of 'guys' has changed to include males and females." Endit