Awareness of “Latinx” is increasing among U.S. Latinos and “Latina” is emerging as an alternative

Latino and Hispanic have long been the most used terms to describe people in the United States with roots in Latin America and Spain. But in recent years, Latinx has become a de facto gender-neutral alternative to Latinos and Hispanics, according to a new study by race and ethnicity researchers.

Despite increased awareness of the term among Latinos (47% have heard of it), only 4% or 1.9 million people use Latinx to describe themselves, an increase of 1% since 2019, according to the Pew Research study Center.

Latinx is more widely known among U.S. Latinos today, but few embrace it yet, said Mark Lopez, director of race and ethnicity research at Pews.

Among Latinos who have heard the term, 36% view its use as a bad thing rather than a good thing, the study found.

And with mixed opinions, regarding Latinx, a new term has emerged: Latina (pronounced LA TEE NEH). This term has gained popularity among people in Latin American countries and Spanish speakers who have lobbied for it to be used instead of Latinx, because in Spanish the e can be used to better denote gender neutrality , said Josh Guzmn, associate professor of gender studies. at the University of California, Los Angeles.

In the United States, Latinx is more popular than Latina. Only 18% of Hispanics have heard of the latter, according to the Pew study. Yet 75% of U.S. Latinos surveyed believe these terms should not be used to describe the population, and 81% greatly prefer the terms Hispanic and Latino.

Guzmn said it's always important to respect those who use either term.

There are already so many differences within Latino communities that scholars have begun to wonder if there will ever be a term adequate enough to cover all the different components of that identity, Guzmn said.

Jasmine Odalys, host of the Hella Latin@ podcast, said the term Latinx either seems more corporate or more politically correct and very American.

I think it comes from a community that wanted to feel recognized and seen, Odalys said. It evolved, I think, into maybe businesses adopting it and making it a general term for our community. I think it's almost like perpetuating the problem when we have sort of an inclusive term in quotes, but it doesn't include everyone's experiences.

The term Hispanic was coined by the federal government to refer to people from Spanish-speaking cultures. But for some, it has connotations of political conservatism and emphasizes a connection with Spain and its colonial past. It is sometimes mistakenly replaced by Latino or Latinx.

Latin Americans are not a monolith and there are multiple identifiers that depend largely on personal preference. Mexican Americans who grew up during the civil rights era of the 1960s may identify as Chicano. Others may refer to their family's nation of origin, such as Colombian American or Salvadoran American. For some, Latino reflects their ties to Latin America.

In the early 1990s, with the rise of the Internet, using the @ character with Latin began to become popular among Chicana feminists, according to Guzmn. The word Latinx can also be attributed to Latino youth and queer culture of the 90s, as a nod to the people's indigenous roots.

Then, in the early 2000s, Latinx began to gain popularity when queer communities in Latin America began using the x in various words such as bexos instead of besos, Spanish for kisses, Guzmn said.

Eventually, the use of the letter xa circulated in the United States, and it stuck.

In 2017, Elisabeth Rosario founded the Latinx Collective, a newsletter highlighting achievements within the community. Rosario said choosing the name was a conscious effort to be open and inclusive.

Language is always going to evolve, and culture is always going to evolve, and how people perceive their identity, Rosario said. I think we just have to be really aware of what makes people comfortable. And you will never please a whole group.

Three years ago, Luis Torres founded the group Queer Latinxs in Tech. Torres said that in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he lives, there is a strong emphasis on inclusiveness, and he wanted to reflect that and respect people's gender identity and pronouns.

Although he chose Latinxs for the group name, Torres said he and his friends change the term they use if they are unsure of who is there and based on what feels most comfortable to them . With his friends, he uses Latino rather than Latinx because it feels more natural to him.

I think it's all about intention, Torres said. I think people who are deliberately, consciously trying to create a safe and inclusive environment use that word.

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