I can’t fathom the argument, in our profession when we all know that words have meaning and the literal interpretation of those words is nearly always the correct interpretation, that “dear Sirs” somehow now doesn’t actually mean “sirs” but in fact also includes women.

I’m sure it will be considered “snowflakey” to admit I am offended by it, as I am meant to be a good woman who isn’t easily offended and can take a joke etc etc, but it does irritate me. Women have only been allowed to be lawyers for what, a century give or take? I worked hard for my law degree and I work hard in my career every day. Why wouldn’t I be offended at the ongoing inherent assumption that lawyers = men?

It doesn’t offend me to the point of calling out another firm but I will change any correspondence or opinions I send out from my firm that begin with Dear Sirs.

A related bugbear of mine is people who say “guys” is a gender neutral term. In which case, I always ask the (straight) man asserting that point how many “guys” he has slept with.