Gender neutral term for "patron"

[plexus]

please be respectful to all patrons of these locations.

The use of "patron" immediately jumped out at me. It comes from Latin for "father" and is related to "paternalistic", "patriarchy" etc.

Maybe just use "visitors of these locations"?

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/patron#Etymology

[myabc]

Have you been reading the Feminist Critique of Language?

I'm aware of the etymology of the word, but I don't think its usage here could be construed as sexist.

In fact, if you read down and look at the dictionary definition, then this term fits the text extremely well, being able to convey the notions of customer, defender and advocate. In current usage, I would describe patron as a gender-neutral term. I've certainly seen it commonly used to describe women as well as men.

[wordgraphy]

If we begin to choose words for their etymology we would need to rewrite the whole language. The meaning of a word is its use (Wittgenstein).
E.g. "marriage" comes from "mother" and now things have changed...

[plexus]

Have you been reading the Feminist Critique of Language?

No, I haven't. Sounds interesting though :)

I don't think its usage here could be construed as sexist.

I'm happy to take your word for it then.