Using clear language to communicate boundaries isn't slimy at all. It's reprehensible that she (allegedly for the pedants in the crowd) even had to say those things. Building a case when no one does anything about a pattern of continued discrimination and harassment it's slimy at all; it's exercising your basic human and legal rights.
What was the alternative? Not documenting the abuse so that it could get dismissed as a he said/she said argument? Deciding between putting up with the abuse or throwing away all the hard work she put into the company?
Apparently her options were to be slimy by documenting her case, or to get dismissed as a bitter woman who was blowing things out of proportion because she got dumped. Nice.
Calling her actions slimy was probably out of line.
Here's a tip for everyone. If one party in the conversation begins using words like 'harassment' with respect to your behaviour, then back the fuck off (whether you believe you're in the clear or not). You are a complete moron if you continue to engage the same way.
In a social context, a woman cam be a "girl." In business, she's a woman. Always. Period. This is a business matter, where personal stuff got inappropriately smeared-in to the business, which is the premise of the lawsuit.
Guys: We don't call you boys at work. Woman, please please please.
Men are often called "guys" - and the connotation to me is just a more informal way of saying "men".
What is the female equivalent of "guy"? Is it chick? Chick certainly doesn't seem right and (to me) kind of has different meaning associated with it as compared to any extra meaning "guy" has when compared to "man".
"Woman" usually seems very formal to me in the same way that "Man" does. So...what do I use instead? Sometimes I do use girl in its place because it seems less formal but (I thought) not offensive.
If someone says "do you know who John Doe is" in a work context, I will probably say something like "oh he's a guy working on XYZ"
If someone asks "do you know who Jane Doe is" in a work context, I will sometimes say "oh she's a girl working on XYZ". I admit there is some extra thought process in choosing the pronoun:
---1. Who am I speaking to?
---2. How old is the person they are referring to?
IDK. Kind of just a brain dump, but just wanted to explain where I come from. But I'll internalize the fact that this may actually be irritating to the women I'm referring to. And that was never my intent.
Edit: I just realized that even in your comment you used "Guys" and not "Men". Basically case in point as to the 'conflict'. Why didn't you type Men? it just feels kinda formal, right? But maybe I should just bite the bullet and go the formal route if my attempt to be less formal just ends up being offensive...