"compatriot" is one word that fits the definition very well. It is a good word to use in an essay but could be a bit too formal in a casual conversation.

Hi! In this specific case - yes, you can apply it to both men and women. However, if you want to sound completely gender neutral you can use "fellow citizen" instead. I hope that was helpful! Please feel free to get in touch with me if you will have more questions. Also, here's a good website where you can look up synonyms: https://www.thesaurus.com/