The Latinx Label & Us
The Hispanic community in the United States has systematically endured and transitioned between different labels on the basis of their ethnic origin. Some of these titles have been advocated for by the culture itself, while other categories have been forced upon with desires to further assimilate or constrain the community to the racial binary. Before the 1970s, the now-coined Latino/Hispanic community had been referenced to as “Spanish-American,” which we know explicitly minimizes a variety of Hispanic countries and cultural origins. We understand that this address does not account for those of Central and South American origin, and likewise, implies that those of a Hispanic ethnic identity originated solely from Spain. Such descriptions wrongly placed Puerto Rican, Mexican, Venezuelan (and many more) social and political practices under an inaccurate umbrella category. It was not until a group of Hispanic members of the Ad Hoc committee (which was composed of people from a variety of backgrounds to decide upon different cultural group labels for federal consensus data) recommended to Richard Nixon the transition to the encompassing “Hispanic” and/or “Latino” terminology to properly represent all aspects of descension. These terms, along with the now evolving “Latinx” title, are used interchangeably in the modern day to classify an ethnic group that makes up approximately 19% of the United States population (according to 2020 census data). The Hispanic culture - one I am a proud member of - has had a tiresome experience in navigating the assimilative and repressive policies of American legislation and civil discourse. Most prominently, the rhetoric and deprecating agenda of President Donald Trump has perpetuated a state of xenophobia, anti-immigrant, and a downfall of the Latino legacy. Now, in a post-Trump America, we face the hardship of rebuilding a tarnished and erroneous reputation. Although the Hispanic community and our stories have gained valuable representation in academia, politics, and workplace environments, colonialist efforts remain pervasive in our way of life and media interaction, beginning with the newly coined Latinx label.
For the purpose of this article, I will be using the term Hispanic to refer to the Spanish/Latin community of the United States. I am of Mexican descent, specifically, and I prefer to identify with the Hispanic label, but it is important to recognize that other community members are partial to another address.
Latinx - a non-binary address
The first usage of the Latinx label surfaced in 2004 and was academically published in 2013 in an article by a Hispanic scholar. This individual advocated for the term’s construction in rejection of the Spanish languages’ insistent gender binary of masculine and feminine: Latino and Latina, respectively. Serving to challenge an androcentric framework riddled across global cultures and politics, Latinx introduced an alternative to the confining binary and fostered support for the growing non-binary and LGBTQIA+ populations. The gender-neutral label, now commonly accepted among many non-Hispanic cultural groups, is actually less heard of within the culture itself. In fact, Pew Research found in 2020 that only 25% of Hispanic Americans have actually even heard of “Latinx” and only 3% use it to describe their own identity.
Perpetuating Colonialism
This label has been argued for by Hispanic and academia members and has been incorporated into a variety of activism platforms with an emphasis on intersectionality and proper inclusivity guidelines. But let’s read into this more. The suffix -x has become increasingly popular in diversifying racial identities and serving as the English literary symbol for inclusivity. However, this suffix fails to appear in the Spanish language and is excluded from any Hispanic dialect or vernacular. That said, scholars have argued that X itself has origins in the Indigenous Nahuatl language, and terms like Xicano (in place of Chicano) convey the diversity of different Hispanic identities. Still, however, Hispanic critics emphasize that Latinx does not follow traditional grammar and disrespects conventional Spanish. A wide debate now emerges, from all sides of the cultural spectrum. In manufacturing the Latinx term, has a culture of advocates inadvertently sustained a historical cycle of assimilation and white-washing? Linguistic Imperialism, discussed thoroughly in Robert Phillipson’s 1992 book, is widely defined as the imposition of a dominant language onto people with a different and historically ‘lesser’ way of communicating. This controversy embodies this conception wonderfully, in which the international, white, language precedes that of the Hispanic community’s own practices. Although the addition of the suffix -x served to diversify a binary-specific and heteronormative culture, it, too, has contributed to misunderstanding, perceived prejudice, and cultural ignorance.
As a Mexican woman, I have used the term Latinx in papers, emails, and in day-to-day language to honor gender-neutral identifications and instill a value of equality into a historically “either/or” language. Just recently, I used this term in a conversation with one of my older brothers, Ricco, who explained to me the perceived disrespect it came across when I used Latinx to encompass the Hispanic community. Hearing from my brother, also Mexican, that my speech was inaccurate to my own identity posed some moral issues for me. This experience, justly my exigence for this article, had me wondering a few different things. Firstly, I questioned how and who viewed Latinx as offensive to their own ethnic standing, and the subjectiveness of such labels as scholars have argued both Hispanic origin and English descension. Second, I asked myself, how can I accurately address this community? We find that the term “Latino” is demoralizing and supportive of a patriarchal legacy, excluding a society of gender-neutral Hispanics. We also find the term “Latinx” is potentially proliferating a cycle of white privilege and European colonization. Either term excludes a community of individuals who deserve to be seen. Neither term encompasses both groups.
Minimization
Practicing respect for a community or ethnic identity different than your own is so important, but doing so successfully is no easy task. Our own cultural and predisposed attitudes, practices, gestures, and frameworks, differ from those around us. This makes it challenging to uplift another culture while refraining from enacting a harmful perspective of minimization. Minimization, in Social Justice work, is the possession of a “we are all the same deep down” mindset. This perspective fails to take into account the niches of each differing identity and assumes one assumption is that of everyone else’s. This outlook, usually stemming from a genuine desire to place equity into practice, effectively diminishes the sociocultural differences that make a diverse society that much more significant. In order to practice equity in an uplifting way, we must acknowledge that we each hold a set of notions and values towards the world that differs by every sub-group and intersectional category. In regards to the Hispanic culture, refraining from a practice of minimization means embracing the specifics of each community.
Respect and Alternatives
I am grateful to live in a time where deciphering accurate cultural labels is relatively mainstream. Of course, stigma prevails in all aspects of racial, religious, and ethnic understandings. It is important to be a source of safety for individuals from all walks of life.
This begins with curiosity! No, do not go asking everybody and their mom where “they are really from.” But instead, spark a conversation through genuine interest. This is applicable to all social and ethnic groups. In regards to the Hispanic identity, there are a plethora of sub-group affiliations. Learn about them from your own community members.
Instead of: What are you?
Try: What culture do you identify with?
Hi! I am Reesa and I am Mexican. Do you feel comfortable sharing your own cultural background?
When talking about or citing a specific individual, it is important to personalize the way they are represented. Like gender pronouns, one’s cultural identity and racial label are self-defining and should be explicitly clarified. Many Hispanics prefer to be labeled within their individual culture: Puerto Rican, Colombian, Argentinian, Spanish, Mexican, Cuban, and so forth. Other individuals may also stick with the identification of Hispanic or Latin. If you do not know, are not in a position to ask or find out, or wish to address the broader group, the term Hispanic and Latine is inclusive of all genders and sub-groups. The term Latine has been produced and incorporated into news outlets and academia more recently with the purpose of quelling grammatical concerns with the Spanish language. Read more about the rise and usage of this term here.
Each cultural group has a right to the way they are depicted and addressed. Over the decades, Hispanics have struggled to be treated justly in the United States. Neither White nor Black (both of which are gender-neutral racial determinations), the Latine culture deserves platforms and symbols of visibility endowed to others. I hope you begin to incorporate different racial terminology into your own vocabulary and stay vigilant in minimizing other social experiences.
Gracias por leer.
