You are not alone in this, although perhaps with different fundamental reasons. I once overheard a conversation between two women on my team lamenting the use of “Gentlemen” or “Gents,” as an email salutation. Again, whether there were or were not women on the thread was not the issue — the use of the word itself seemed to be a trigger.

Truth be told I overheard little other than “It makes them sound like such douchebags,” before I was pulled into another conversation.

I have not used either salutation since that day.