My point is that, on an international site where English is only used as a means of communication, you should generally be more sensitive to cultural differences in the use of a language such as English. It is often used as a common common language between people who don't speak English natively, and so idioms and nuances from their own languages seep into this common English.
The finer points about the semantics of a word such as 'man'/'men' and when it can be taken to refer to people unambiguously vs when it may accidentally imply you are talking about adult males are likely to be lost on a non-native speaker, especially if they come from a culture/language where this distinction and its implications are not subjects of general interest. Even if they are well-versed in the use of English in general.
So it's better to follow HN guidelines and assume the best intentions where meaning is unclear, instead of calling people out on their use of English.
Now, if you know for a fact that the GP is a native English speaker, and especially if you know that they are American, then what I'm saying is not very relevant.
