Using ‘Latinx’ Makes Us More Inclusive, but It’s Just the Beginning
There’s much more work to be done to take down machismo
If you aren’t already aware, “Latinx” is a term used to foster inclusivity among Latin Americans. The goal is to eliminate the sole use of the identifiers “Latino” and “Latina” to acknowledge all gender expressions. While the word isn’t new — its usage dates back to 2004 — its popularity has soared over the last couple of years.
In 2017, Mitú posted a video praising “Latinx” for overcoming the gender bias inherent in the Spanish language — since masculine grammar becomes the default, the word challenges the patriarchy by stripping away that default masculinity. But the overwhelming majority of the video’s comments condemn the word, arguing that it inherently excludes native Spanish speakers, as they aren’t privy to the American nuances of gender politics.
Are we ready to call up Abuelita to let her know that she’s aiding and abetting the patriarchy for not complying with millennial diction?
It’s a fair point. Just because Spanish is a gendered language doesn’t mean it’s gendered out of malice. Are we ready to call up Abuelita to let her know she’s aiding and abetting the…
