Debating Pronouns with John McWhorter:

John McWhorter is an esteemed professor of linguistics at Columbia University. His latest book PRONOUN TROUBLE: The Story of Us in Seven Little Words was released on April 1, 2025. In it McWhorter establishes pronouns as both historical and dynamic. Like language in general, McWhorter shows how pronouns are adaptable cultural constructions. His defense of “they” as a productive pronoun for operating beyond the gender binary is particularly timely and significant. “They”, he observes, is already being used in this way, and has been since the time of Chaucer (aka: the 1300s). He also reminds us of the fact that other languages, like Chinese for example, already have gender-neutral pronouns. The book is short and well-worth the read. If you’re interested be sure to check out this great interview with McWhorter from the Free Press for further context.