Is “Dude” gender neutral?

[justina]

Just something I’ve been wondering about. I have always thought “dude” was a gender neutral term but I have heard other people think otherwise? Maybe it is dependent on where you live also.

 

[moo_nieu]

i use it as gender neutral, but it could also mean men. i think "guys" is sort of similar. i could understand some people being bothered by it though if they dont want to be addressed as dude/guy, but i think its become more gender neutral slang

 

[.: Meri :.]

I tend to think of it as gender-neutral ("dudette" seems very dated), but I think it's one of those words that can either be gender neutral or masculine, depending on usage and context. Like, "Nice one, dude!" versus "Why's that dude juggling frying pans?". I do try to be careful who I use it with though, since I know some people might be uncomfortable with it.

 

[Belle T]

It depends on the person and context. I think casually saying "hey, dude!" has become gender neutral, and I've never understood people who correct it to "dudette" when speaking to a woman. Even in context, the word "dudette" has always came across to me as facetious. And it seems to me like the only people who ever bother to correct it are people from older generations trying to sound young and cool who simply can't comprehend the idea that not every word needs to be segregated by gender, particularly words that are hardly even descriptive.

However, similar to the word "guy," there is definitely an assumption of masculinity behind it, so I can see why some people might take issue with it in certain contexts. Identifying as a "dude" usually means "male." Or someone saying "That person is a dude" usually means they're talking to a man. It's just a rather strange anomaly of the English language, I suppose.

For my own personal tastes, I just find "dude" to be too casual for my liking and I don't like the way the word sounds, but I'm not really bothered when people use it. It tends to be something people say without really thinking, so I don't really care.

 

[Alienfish]

Definitely yes, I use with like everyone I know regardless of their gender. I dunno why people even came up with "dudette" cause it sounds kinda dumb/targeted ngl.

 

[xSuperMario64x]

I would say yes, but sometimes I like to say "dudes, dudettes, and duddont's" judt to be funny

 

[Corrie]

I use it with anyone no matter the gender but I could understand someone not liking it.

 

[daringred_]

i would say so, though i'm sure there are a select few who wouldn't want to be referred to as such. personally, i use all terms like that (sis, bro, guys) regardless of gender and don't mind being referred to them either despite identifying as female.

 

[skarmoury]

Depends per person! I use the words dude, bro, and sis (occasionally girl too LMAO) as gender-neutral terms, but if anyone feels uncomfortable with being called those then I have no problem adjusting to what they wanna be called!

 

[amemome]

Definitely depends. I think it's easier to use "y'all" for everyone I'm not familiar with and only use words like "dude" and "bro" with people I'm friends with.

 

[Bellsinthegalaxy2012]

Dude and bro are gender neutral

 

[DarkDesertFox]

For sure, I definitely use it for both guys and gals.

 

[duckykate]

i think that even though most of us use it as a gender neutral term its always going to have that male conotation which is why its valid if someone who doesnt want to be referred to in a masculine way doesnt like it. personally i use dude, bro, sis, girl, *****, etc as gender neutral cos i think its funny.

 

[Croconaw]

I wanted to reply to this thread earlier, but I’ve been at work for the past few hours. I think it really depends. I’ve never personally used these word because I use y’all as singular and plural, lol. I do think that for dude and bro, it really depends on the context and how you say it.

 

[CrazyMario64]

I use it as gender neutral some times as well with guys bc I don’t know what other term to use :/

 

[LadyDestani]

It's weird and depends on the context for me. If I'm using it to refer to a third person, like "That dude...", then I only use it for males and I would probably assume someone else was talking about a male if I heard it. However, it absolutely becomes gender neutral to me when I use it directly towards the person I'm speaking with. I have definitely said "Dude!? Are you serious?" many times to people of any gender. I consider 'dude' to be very informal, though, so I only use it with people I'm close to and therefore, I know they don't mind.

Much more often than dude, I use 'guys' to refer to groups of people regardless of gender. It's extremely common to do so in the area where I live so I hope that no one takes offense. In more formal settings, I will say "you all" instead of "you guys" to sound more professional, but in any kind of casual setting "you guys" is my default.

As a female, I personally have no problem being referred to as a dude or guy or whatever. But I wouldn't dare speak on behalf of others and if I sensed any sort of discomfort from someone when I used those terms, I would adjust accordingly.

 

[Dwayne Johnson]

for sure dude

 

[Millysaurusrexjr]

Dude is definitely gender neutral at this point! Not much more to say on the topic. I agree that Bro is also gender neutral

 

[Kitsuragi]

in my mind i think that it is but for some reason i feel like i only use "dude" when referring to someone male presenting, i dont think ive ever said "dude" to a feminine presenting person that wasn't my friend.

 

[Xara]

i’ve always called my friends and close family members dude, bro, man, etc regardless of their gender, so it’s definitely gender neutral in my eyes. i know not everyone is comfortable with being referred to as such, though, so i make sure to only do it with people i know and think will be okay with it, and i stop immediately if they tell me to or if they show/express any discomfort.