Dudette

[deh_tommy]

I wish there was a casual female equivalent for “dude” or “guy” or “my man”. I tried “girl” before, but that (and variations thereof like “my girl” or “girlies” or what have you) only really works in person because in text it just comes across as infantilising, bossy and too possessive for casual conversation. “Chick” and “gal” sound vaguely sexist. Dudette, I guess? Is that a real word?