An Argument For All New Pronouns: “You are Ki. We are Kin.”
Calling anyone an “It” is disrespectful, but there are ways to include all our family of humanity.
On being and on pronouns
On Sundays, My husband and I love to listen to Krista Tippett’s On Being, on NPR radio. For years now, she has featured guests who always have cogent arguments as to why human beings need to expand our circle of compassion to include the whole creation.
On her program, Krista Tippet often revisits why we need new concepts and new words. Ki for a being, and Kin, for the plural of Ki, are suggested.
I think these new pronouns, Ki, and Kin, (for all of we, including trees, bees, and manatees) are perfect.
As an ecopsychologist, Tippett’s idea is old news to me, but I also realize the concept of total inclusion remains largely out of most people’s radar. Today, especially in these days of dark division, racial tension, culture wars, pandemic and climate crisis, it is all too easy to think of such topics as removed from our daily reality.
With California on fire (Again!) a burning pandemic of COVID, and a burning fervor for fear-mongering at the Republican National Convention this week, I can see why it’s so easy to get…
