What's the difference between Hispanic, Latino and Latinx?
Summary
TLDRThe debate around the term 'Latinx' reflects broader discussions about identity, gender, and inclusion within the Latino community. While some argue that Latinx is a progressive, gender-neutral term, others find it linguistically challenging or unnecessary. The term emerged in response to gendered language in Spanish, aligning with evolving ideas about gender politics. Historically, terms like 'Hispanic' and 'Latino' also evolved to unify diverse groups and advocate for rights in the U.S. Ultimately, no single term satisfies everyone, but these labels play a crucial role in representation and visibility for marginalized communities.
Takeaways
- 📈 The term 'Latinx' has become increasingly popular in recent years, sparking strong opinions and debate.
- 📚 Many languages, including Spanish, use masculine forms to represent all people, which some find problematic.
- 🌍 Organizers in the past sought to unite diverse Latino communities across the U.S. for better recognition and rights.
- 🇺🇸 The term 'Hispanic' was adopted by the Nixon administration but has been criticized for its connection to Spain.
- 🌀 'Latino' and 'Latina' are gender-specific, while 'Latinx' emerged to be more inclusive of all genders, particularly non-binary people.
- 🧠 The 'x' in 'Latinx' is meant to prompt reflection on gender and intersectionality, but it’s difficult for some Spanish speakers to pronounce.
- 🔄 Some Spanish speakers prefer using 'Latine' instead of 'Latinx' as a more natural gender-neutral option in Spanish.
- 📊 There is no universally preferred term for the community, with many people indifferent about whether to use 'Hispanic', 'Latino', or 'Latinx'.
- 🤝 While there are different experiences in various regions, a unified national identity helps make the community more visible.
- 🏥 The 'Latino COVID Death Crisis' highlights the importance of visibility in addressing social and health disparities within the Latinx community.
Q & A
What is the debate surrounding the word 'Latinx'?
-The debate around 'Latinx' centers on its attempt to challenge the traditional gendered terms 'Latino' and 'Latina' and create a more inclusive term. Some support it as a step toward non-binary and transgender inclusion, while others resist it, arguing that it feels forced or unnatural, especially in Spanish.
Why was 'Latinx' created, and who does it aim to include?
-'Latinx' was created to provide a gender-neutral term for people of Latin American descent, aiming to include non-binary, transgender, and gender-nonconforming individuals. It reflects evolving ideas about gender politics and challenges the male-female binary.
What were some of the other terms considered to describe the Latinx community historically?
-Other terms considered were 'Brown,' 'Latin American,' and 'La Raza.' 'Brown' was rejected as it could apply to other groups like Southeast Asians, 'Latin American' was seen as too foreign, and 'La Raza' was viewed by some as too politically radical.
Why did the Nixon administration choose the term 'Hispanic'?
-The Nixon administration chose 'Hispanic' as it referred to people with a historical or cultural link to Spain. It was seen as a compromise, although many found it inadequate since it emphasized European ancestry and didn’t reflect the colonial history of many Latinx people.
What are some criticisms of the term 'Hispanic'?
-'Hispanic' has been criticized for its connection to Spain and European ancestry, which doesn’t resonate with many Latinx individuals who identify more with their Indigenous or African roots and a history of colonization.
How does the term 'Latino' differ from other ethnic labels like 'African American' or 'Italian American'?
-'Latino' is gendered, unlike other ethnic labels like 'African American' or 'Italian American.' Latino (male) and Latina (female) have separate gender forms, which has led to the creation of 'Latinx' to avoid this binary.
Why do some people prefer 'Latine' over 'Latinx'?
-Some prefer 'Latine' because it works better with the Spanish language's phonetic structure, avoiding the difficulty of pronouncing the 'x' in 'Latinx.' It’s also seen as more aligned with progressive gender politics in Latin America.
What is the argument against using 'Latinx' in Spanish-speaking communities?
-In Spanish-speaking communities, 'Latinx' can be difficult to pronounce and doesn't fit naturally into the language, which uses 'a' for feminine and 'o' for masculine forms. Alternatives like 'Latine' are seen as more accessible.
How do people's preferences for terms like 'Latina,' 'Chicana,' and 'Latinx' reflect their identity?
-People's preferences for terms like 'Latina,' 'Chicana,' or 'Latinx' often reflect personal or regional identities and their relationship to cultural, ethnic, and gender politics. These terms are flexible, and individuals may use different ones in different contexts.
What is the larger cultural significance of the Latinx debate?
-The Latinx debate is part of a broader conversation about culture, identity, visibility, and belonging. It's connected to efforts to unify diverse Latinx communities for political recognition, better access to resources, and greater representation.
Outlines
🌐 The Debate Over the Term 'Latinx'
The term 'Latinx' has gained popularity in recent years but has sparked strong opinions. Traditionally, masculine terms have been used to refer to all people, which is problematic, and 'Latinx' is seen as a more inclusive alternative. However, some oppose the idea of inventing a new word, while others embrace it to include all gender identities. This debate can be seen in social media, where words representing large, diverse groups carry significant weight. People use different terms, such as 'Chicana,' 'Latina,' or 'Latinx,' to define themselves based on context.
👩🏫 The Origins and Evolution of Identity Labels
Cristina Mora, a sociology professor at UC Berkeley, studies how terms like Latino, Hispanic, and Latinx emerged in the U.S. In the 1960s, the census offered limited racial categories, ignoring the growing Latinx community. Mexican American, Puerto Rican, and Cuban communities were advocating for equal rights but were seen as regional issues rather than national concerns. To fight for recognition, these groups sought a national identity, though finding an appropriate term was challenging. 'Brown' and 'Latin American' were proposed, but 'Hispanic' was chosen in the Nixon era, despite its European connotation.
🌍 The Shift from 'Hispanic' to 'Latino' and the Role of Gender
By the 1990s, the term 'Hispanic' was reexamined, as many people did not see themselves as connected to Spain. 'Latino' gained popularity, emphasizing shared colonial histories rather than ties to Europe. However, Latino and Latina are gender-specific, unlike terms like African American. The introduction of 'Latinx' reflects a growing awareness of gender politics and aims to be inclusive of non-binary and transgender identities. The 'x' in Latinx forces people to pause and consider intersectionality, though its pronunciation is challenging for some Spanish speakers.
🔤 Challenges in Language Adaptation for Gender Inclusivity
Although Latinx is gaining traction, its pronunciation is difficult in Spanish, where gendered language typically ends with 'a' for females and 'o' for males. Some Spanish speakers are adopting 'e' as a gender-neutral option, using 'Latine' instead of Latinx. This shift reflects broader movements in Latin America toward progressive gender politics, where 'Latine' is more commonly used to represent non-binary identities. The use of Latinx or Latine is about creating transnational solidarity and inclusivity.
🤔 What’s the Right Term? It Depends
There's no single correct term for everyone, and people may have different preferences depending on their context. A recent Gallup poll found that 57% of Hispanic adults don’t have a strong preference for a particular term. The evolution of identity terms reflects the dynamism of communities as they adapt to socio-political changes. While terms may vary by region, having a national identity helps make these communities more visible, especially in addressing pressing issues such as the Latino COVID-19 death crisis.
💡 The Importance of Visibility and Data in Social Justice
Latinx people, particularly those from Mexican and Central American communities, are more likely to be frontline workers and have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Recognizing these communities through clear data helps push for better job protections and healthcare services. Ultimately, while discussions about labels are important, they must be part of a broader effort to address the real-world challenges facing these communities, such as discrimination and access to resources. This is a conversation about culture, belonging, and visibility.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Latinx
💡Gender-neutral language
💡Hispanic
💡Chicana/Chicano
💡La Raza
💡Intersectionality
💡Latine
💡Census categories
💡Cultural identity
💡Visibility
Highlights
Latinx has gained popularity, but there are strong opinions about its use.
The masculine form has historically been used to refer to all people, which some consider problematic.
Words like Latinx are meant to represent a large, diverse population and foster inclusion.
Latinx challenges traditional gendered language and advocates for non-binary and transgender inclusivity.
Cristina Mora, a sociology professor at UC Berkeley, studies how labels like Latino, Hispanic, and Latinx emerged in the U.S.
In the 1960s, the Census Bureau failed to account for the growing Latinx community, which led to organizing efforts for national recognition.
Early terms like 'Brown' and 'Latin American' were rejected due to their broad or foreign implications.
The Nixon administration coined 'Hispanic,' linking it to Spanish heritage, which later faced criticism.
Latino/Latina gained favor in the 1990s, emphasizing a shared history of colonization rather than a connection to Spain.
The term Latinx emerged with a new generation focused on gender politics and inclusivity beyond the binary.
Some Spanish speakers have adopted 'Latine' as a gender-neutral alternative that's easier to pronounce.
Surveys show that a majority of Hispanic adults don't have a strong preference for any particular term.
Identity terms evolve with changing socio-political contexts, reflecting the dynamic nature of communities.
A unified national identity helps make marginalized groups more visible, such as in the context of the 'Latino COVID Death Crisis.'
While debates over terminology are important, the larger goal is to foster solidarity, visibility, and improved access to resources for the Latinx community.
Transcripts
In the past few years, the
word Latinx has become more popular.
But there's a lot of strong opinions
about this word.
Too many cultures have used the masculine
to refer to all people.
That's messed up,
which is why the right word is Latinx.
Look, you can't just make up a word
and force people to use it.
I'm a proud Latinx.
What the hell is a Latinx?
Is it a Cuban Kleenex?
If so, then it is the best Kleenex.
Maybe you've heard this debate among
friends and family
or seen it talked about
all over social media.
Words like this, meant to represent
a huge, diverse population of people,
always have a big job to do.
And there are many words that people use
to define themselves
based on ethnic background
or cultural heritage.
So, for example,
I might call myself
Chicana at certain points
and then call myself Latina
and then use Latinx. Right?
We create preferences
and we still understand each other.
This is Cristina Mora.
She's a professor
of sociology at UC Berkeley.
And her research is focused
on how categories like Latino,
Hispanic and Latinx
emerged in places
like the United States.
So where did the term Latinx come from?
And should we use it to describe
such a large group of people?
When I was born on my birth
certificate, there was only two options
to describe what I was.
I was either Afro American or Caucasian.
Now, clearly, I wasn't Afro American,
so I was white by default.
In the 1960s, if you just looked
at Census Bureau reports,
you'd probably not know
that there was a pretty significant
and sizable and growing Latinx community.
That's because back then
there weren't a lot of
categories on the census.
It was like the government
didn't see these communities.
This was a problem
for organizers across the country.
Communities in the Southwest
that were Mexican American
were pushing for issues
like bilingual job
training and equal access
to education, much like Puerto Rican
and Cuban communities on the East Coast.
But politicians like Lyndon
Johnson said these were regional issues,
not the job of an administration
focused on national constituencies.
These communities were seen as existing
in their own bubbles,
despite having to fight similar battles
against discrimination
and for more rights and resources.
So organizers decided to unite
to create a national identity.
But finding a name that would communicate
a shared cultural identity
and help in this fight
for recognition in
the United States was not easy.
One of the first terms
proposed was Brown,
because the census already thought
in terms of black and white,
quite literally.
But other ethnic and racial groups
like Southeast Asian
and Filipino communities
might use this term, too.
Latin American was another idea,
but for many, this sounded too foreign.
An important part of this struggle
was to sort of argue
that Latinos belonged here,
that Latinos were part and parcel of U.S.
history, and so many feared
that Latin American
would refer to an outsider,
a permanent sort of foreign status
and not inherently American.
The term La Raza,
meaning the people
or the race, was in wide use,
but conservative Latinos worried
it would be seen as too radical
and too specific
to political movements in Mexico.
So in the end, the Nixon administration
settled on an imperfect solution.
"Hispanic", meaning
someone having an historic
or cultural link to Spain.
But then in the 1990s,
the connection to Spain
was being reexamined.
After all, many of these communities
didn't really think of themselves
as European or Spanish.
As sort of Latino was being
sort of much more used in vogue,
that we are connected to each other
by our history of being colonized versus
our connection to Spain,
which is what Hispanic tends
to sort of conjure
up in politics and in history.
However, Latino and Latina
are different from something
like African American
or Italian American.
They're not gender neutral.
So today, a new word has emerged.
Latinx comes with a new generation
that is thinking about gender politics
in ways that question
whether we should have a binary,
in ways that see this
as being in solidarity
with transgender
or with non-binary populations.
So everyone who doesn't identify
as male feels included.
You can say it,
You know, the 'x' was important.
The 'x' was meant to be noticed,
to make you pause,
to really think about
intersectional politics
and intersectional identities.
Is it even proper Spanish or English?
I bet you can't even tell me
a word that ends in 'nx'
'jinx lynx minx.'
However, Spanish
speakers might still find that
the 'x' doesn't work for them.
It's not an easy
letter to say in Spanish.
Spanish usually uses an 'a' for female
or 'o' for male at the end of words.
But some Spanish speakers
are starting to use an 'e'
at the ends of words
to make them more gender neutral.
So a term like Latine
escapes the binary of Latino or Latina.
On the one hand,
some argue it's just a way
of being able to say
a non-binary form in Spanish.
But others have argued
that is a way of creating this trans-
national solidarity movements
with much more progressive
gender politics in Latin America
that tend to use
Latine, and not Latinx.
OK, so this is a lot of words and terms
whether you're part
of the community or not.
People may ask
what's the correct word to use?
And the reality is
there isn't just one word.
Gallup recently asked Hispanic adults
what they prefer,
and 57 percent said
it really doesn't matter.
You know, I think it is nuts to think
that they would always and forever
hold true to just one category
that would last the test of time.
I think this is just
a reflection of the dynamism
that continues to happen
and the ways that groups
come to see themselves
as their sort of
socio-political environment evolves.
While there might be
a different experience
within each region,
having a unified national identity
makes everyone more visible.
There is something called, for example,
a "Latino Covid Death Crisis."
It is actually happening.
Latinx people are more likely
to be essential workers
on the front lines.
Members from the community died
at a much younger age from COVID-19.
It is happening in
Mexican American communities,
It is happening in Central
American communities.
And that's incredibly
important to acknowledge
and that we acknowledge
only when we can see data patterns
that desegregate
these communities from whites.
These communities
can point to clear data
and ask for things like better job
protections and better access
to health services.
So while it's very important
to have a conversation
about what words to use,
we need to be acting
in more meaningful ways, too.
The point is that
this is connected
to a much larger conversation
about culture,
about creating a shared
sense of belonging
and being visible as a community.
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