He or she? Think again
AHN CHAK-HEEThe author is the head of the global cooperation team at the JoongAng Ilbo.
Recently, while talking to college students in New York, I spotted something interesting. They were students at a private art college in Brooklyn. As they were talking about a man who was not present, they referred to him as “they” instead of “he.”
I majored in English literature in college and wondered what this was about. I experienced the “evolution” of pronouns in English-speaking social media and writings for a few years.
Teenagers and twenty-somethings in the English-speaking world, mostly in the U.S. and Britain, tend to choose their own pronouns. For instance, they reject the binary definition of “he” or “she.” Instead, they demand to be called “he/they” or “she/they.”
Here, “they” refer to “he” or “she,” not the third-person plural pronoun. Some even asked to be called by all pronouns, “he/she/they,” and the number is on the rise.
As you may have guessed, gender identity issues are at the center of this phenomenon. The new breed believes that sex is only a biological distinction given at birth regardless of one’s will and that true gender identity is acquired and developed through life experiences.
The phenomenon of destroying conventional pronouns is an expression of intention to break the framework of language ruled by a traditional mindset. Reflecting the movement, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary has already listed “they” as a third-person singular pronoun a few years ago.
Some countries have newly coined words. In 2015, the Swedish government created the genderless pronoun “hen.” A teacher who refused to use this pronoun was even fired.
About five years ago, a child of my friend was preparing to enter an American high school. I was surprised to learn that the gender did not have to be identified if they didn’t want to. At that time, I thought the school was forcing or encouraging young students to make an unnecessary choice.
As changing gender identity awareness is accelerating, however, it seems difficult to turn the tide. Is the will to live as one wishes becoming stronger than before?
During my stay in the Big Apple, I often encountered young people who expressed themselves freely with various pronouns. I found an impressive scene on the subway. I saw someone with a beard, long hair and makeup and wearing a deep-cut dress, talking with someone next to them with a low-pitched voice and feminine gestures. The “they” looked so happy.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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