{"id":31186,"date":"2022-09-10T23:08:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T23:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=31186"},"modified":"2022-09-11T02:42:38","modified_gmt":"2022-09-11T02:42:38","slug":"stop-using-latinx-if-you-really-want-to-be-inclusive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/stop-using-latinx-if-you-really-want-to-be-inclusive\/","title":{"rendered":"Stop using \u2018Latinx\u2019 if you really want to be\u00a0inclusive"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Melissa K. Ochoa<\/a>, Saint Louis University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of the debates on the usage of \u201cLatinx\u201d \u2013 pronounced \u201cla-teen-ex\u201d \u2013 have taken place in the U.S. But the word has begun to spread into Spanish-speaking countries \u2013 where it hasn\u2019t exactly been embraced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In July 2022, Argentina and Spain released public statements<\/a> banning the use of Latinx, or any gender-neutral variant. Both governments reasoned that these new terms are violations of the rules of the Spanish language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Latinx is used as an individual identity for those who are gender-nonconforming, and it can also describe an entire population without using \u201cLatinos,\u201d which is currently the default in Spanish for a group of men and women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a Mexican-born, U.S.-raised scholar<\/a>, I agree with the official Argentine and Spanish stance on banning Latinx from the Spanish language \u2013 English, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I first heard Latinx in 2017, I thought it was progressive and inclusive, but I quickly realized how problematic it was. Five years later, Latinx is not commonly used in Spanish-speaking countries, nor is it used by the majority of those identifying as Hispanic or Latino in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, there\u2019s a gender-inclusive term that\u2019s already being used by Spanish-speaking activists that works as a far more natural replacement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Low usage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Though the exact origins of Latinx are unclear, it emerged sometime around 2004<\/a> and gained popularity around 2014. Merriam-Webster added it to its dictionary in 2018<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, a 2019 Pew research study<\/a> and 2021 Gallup poll<\/a> indicated that less than 5% of the U.S. population used \u201cLatinx\u201d as a racial or ethnic identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nonetheless, Latinx is becoming commonplace<\/a> among academics; it\u2019s used at conferences, in communication and especially in publications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But is it inclusive to use Latinx when most of the population does not?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perpetuating elitism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The distinct demographic differences of those who are aware of or use Latinx calls into question whether the term is inclusive or just elitist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Individuals who self-identiy as Latinx or are aware of the term are most likely to be<\/a> U.S.-born, young adults from 18 to 29 years old. They are predominately English-speakers and have some college education. In other words, the most marginalized communities do not use Latinx.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scholars, in my view, should never impose social identities onto groups that do not self-identify that way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I once had a reviewer for an academic journal article I submitted about women\u2019s experiences with catcalling tell me to replace my use of \u201cLatino\u201d and \u201cLatina\u201d with \u201cLatinx.\u201d However, they had no issue with me using \u201cman\u201d or \u201cwoman\u201d when it came to my white participants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was annoyed at the audacity of this reviewer. The goal of the study was to show catcalling, a gendered interaction, as an everyday form of sexism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How was I supposed to differentiate my participants\u2019 sexism experiences by gender and race if I labeled them all as Latinx?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u2018x\u2019 factor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If a term is truly inclusive, it gives equitable weight to vastly diverse experiences and knowledge; it is not meant to be a blanket identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women of color, in general, are severely underrepresented<\/a> in leadership positions and STEM fields. Using \u201cLatinx\u201d for women further obscures their contributions and identity. I have even seen some academics try to get around the nebulous nature of Latinx by writing \u201cLatinx mothers<\/a>\u201d or \u201cLatinx women<\/a>\u201d instead of \u201cLatinas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, if the goal is to be inclusive, the \u201cx\u201d would be easily pronounceable and naturally applied to other parts of the Spanish language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some Spanish speakers would rather identify<\/a> by nationality \u2013 say, \u201cMexicano\u201d or \u201cArgentino\u201d \u2013 instead of using umbrella terms like Hispanic or Latino. But the \u201cx\u201d can\u2019t be easily applied to nationalities. Like Latinx, \u201cMexicanx\u201d and \u201cArgentinx\u201d don\u2019t exactly roll off the tongue in any language. Meanwhile, gendered articles in Spanish \u2013 \u201clos\u201d and \u201clas\u201d for the plural \u201cthe\u201d \u2013 become \u201clxs,\u201d while gendered pronouns \u2013\u201cel\u201d and \u201cella\u201d becomes \u201cellx.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The utility and logic of it quickly falls apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Latine\u2019 as an alternative<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many academics might feel compelled to continue to use Latinx because they fought hard to have it recognized by their institutions or have already published the term in an academic journal. But there is a much better gender-inclusive alternative, one that\u2019s been largely overlooked by the U.S. academic community and is already being used in Spanish-speaking parts of Latin America, especially among young social activists<\/a> in those countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s \u201cLatine\u201d \u2013 pronounced \u201clah-teen-eh\u201d \u2013 and it\u2019s far more adaptable to the Spanish language. It can be implemented as articles \u2013 \u201cles\u201d instead of \u201clos\u201d or \u201clas,\u201d the words for \u201cthe.\u201d When it comes to pronouns, \u201celle\u201d can become a singular form of \u201cthey\u201d and used in place of the masculine \u201c\u00e9l\u201d or feminine \u201cella,\u201d which translate to \u201che\u201d and \u201cshe.\u201d It can also be readily applied to most nationalities, such as \u201cMexicane\u201d or \u201cArgentine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because language shapes the way we think, it\u2019s important to note that gendered languages like Spanish, German and French do facilitate gender stereotypes and discrimination<\/a>. For example<\/a>, in German, the word for bridge is feminine, and in Spanish, the word for bridge is masculine. Cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky<\/a> had German speakers and Spanish speakers describe a bridge. The German speakers were more likely to describe it using adjectives like \u201cbeautiful\u201d or \u201celegant,\u201d while the Spanish speakers were more likely to describe it in masculine ways \u2013 \u201ctall\u201d and \u201cstrong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, the existing gender rules in Spanish are not perfect. Usually words ending in \u201c-o\u201d are masculine and those ending in \u201c-a\u201d are feminine, but there are many common words that break those gender rules<\/a>, like \u201cla mano,\u201d the word for \u201chand.\u201d And, of course, Spanish already uses an \u201ce\u201d for gender-neutral words<\/a>, such as \u201cestudiante,\u201d or \u201cstudent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I believe Latine accomplishes what Latinx originally meant to and more. Similarly, it eliminates the gender binary in its singular and plural form. However, Latine is not confined to an elite, English-speaking population within the U.S. It is inclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, problems can still arise when the word \u201cLatine\u201d is imposed onto others. \u201cLatina\u201d and \u201cLatino\u201d may still be preferable for many individuals. I don\u2019t think the \u201c-e\u201d should eliminate the existing \u201c-o\u201d and the \u201c-a.\u201d Instead, it could be a grammatically acceptable addition to the Spanish language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, Argentina and Spain\u2019s ban of Latinx also included a ban on the use of Latine. Here is where I diverge from their directive. To me, the idea that language can be purist is nonsensical; language always evolves, whether it\u2019s through technology<\/a> \u2013 think emojis and textspeak<\/a> \u2013 or increased social awareness, such as the evolution from \u201cwife beating\u201d to \u201cintimate partner violence.<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Linguistic theory<\/a> posits that language shapes reality, so cultures and communities can create words that shape the inclusive world they want to inhabit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Language matters. Latine embodies that inclusivity \u2013 across socioeconomic status, citizenship, education, gender identity, age groups and nations, while honoring the Spanish language in the process<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Melissa K. Ochoa<\/a>, Assistant Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies, Saint Louis University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article is republished from The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Melissa K. Ochoa, Saint Louis University Most of the debates on the usage of \u201cLatinx\u201d \u2013 pronounced \u201cla-teen-ex\u201d \u2013 have taken place in the U.S. But the word has begun to spread into Spanish-speaking countries \u2013 where it hasn\u2019t exactly been embraced. In July 2022, Argentina and Spain released public statements banning the use of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":31187,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[293,8025],"tags":[3537,12557,2285,12556,365,6599,149,671,2677,8445,3728,6272,10721],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31186"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31186"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31186\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31188,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31186\/revisions\/31188"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}