Meaning and usage of "Gentlebeing"

I wonder what gentlebeing means and how it is used, especially when compared to similar phrases like Ladies and gentlemen!

I saw Gentlebeings! being used at the beginning of an email. Is it a formal or informal word, and does it have any sarcastic or humorous connotation to it?

Answer

It's not an accepted word (at least not yet), but an attempt (semi-humorous, at a guess), to find an appropriate salutation for a group of people, some of whom may object to "Ladies and Gentlemen". People have been attempting this for years, without noticeable success: "Gentlebeings", though harmless, has too much of a science-fiction flavour to catch on generally, I would say.