Description: A five panel comic. In the first picture the main character leaves and a co-worker says "See ya, dude". In the second panel, the protagonist is in a supermarket and the cashier says "Hey man." In the third panel, the protagonist is on a train and someone on the phone says "Hello, sir." In the fourth panel, the protagonist enters an apartment and says "I' home." and is welcomed by a woman who rushes towards her and says "THERE she is!" The two of them hug in the fifth panel, while the woman says "How's my beautiful girlfriend doing??"
Art by Homunculus101
It took a while for me to switch pronouns when my colleague transitioned. Up until that point I had been "hey man... man, listen... y'alright dude..." etc. (literally had no idea what they were going through until the day before)
I simply did not have that same banter vocabulary for girls, and I just had to learn to say "hey... listen... y'alright..."
The dynamic changed a bit for a week, but then it bounced back fine. I just wince at all the gender-affirming vernacular in my casual speech that must have burned them every time I said it
I just use the formal words for women in an informal tone. "Look lady", "madam, I assure you this shit is fucked" etc
Isn't that the same problem as using "man" though ? You're affirming a pronoun that they genuinely might not jell with, and are too polite/scared of reproach to correct
Buddy/champ/sport are gender neutral but maybe not the vibe you're going for