Pronunciation: \ˈ pər-sən ˈi-zəm\\
Function: noun
Etymology: person + ism
13th century Middle English, from Anglo-French persone, from Latin persona actor’s mask, character in a play, person, probably from Etruscan phersu mask, from Greek prosōpa, plural of prosōpon face, mask. + -ism circa 1680.
: the doctrine, movement, or practice concerned with individual human beings, whether man, woman, or child.
Fauxcabulary Origin: Read the tongue-in-cheek manifesto of personism by poet Frank O’Hara, written in 1959, the inspiration for artist and personism.com site developer Jen Bekman. Random encounters increased circa 2007-8, with attention brought to focus by link regarding the topic of gender diversity at web conferences. List of female conference speakers compiled in 2006 by Jen Bekman on personism.com. Further need for a such a word, indicating general doctrine of interest or concern for individual humanity, Fauxcabulary predicts, will increase, perhaps tongue-in-cheek, perhaps not.