What is Latinx and Why the Term Is Used

Celebrate cultural diversity with HR Lab! September15th marks the beginning of National Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month. We invite you to celebrate with us the contributions of the Latinx, Hispanic, Afro Latinx, Spanish, and Spanish speaking nations of the Caribbean have made to our American Society!

The Latinx culture is beautifully diverse. Throughout this month, we will be sharing information that highlights the contributions and history of our Latinx communities in the United States.

According to TIME Magazine, People have objected to Latin American for sounding “too foreign,” while Latino was “too vague. ”There is a long history when it comes to political labels that have been adopted by — and forced upon — Americans with Latin American or Spanish roots. “No label has ever been perfect,” says Mora, the Berkeley professor. People have objected to the word Hispanic because it has vestiges of colonialism, she says.

BUT WHY DOES LANGUAGE MATTER?

In Spanish and Portuguese, the masculine gender is treated as a default in descriptions concerning mixed-gender situations. For example, if a male walks into a room full of women or non-binary individuals, the written or spoken term carries an ‘o’ (i.e. Latino,niños,compañeros).

Latino, however, is not a gender-inclusive or gender-neutral term; to default to the masculine gender promotes interpersonal violence against women and non-binary individuals.

This month is not only about celebrations. We must continue to educate our community and ourselves about these wonderful cultures in order to uplift Latinx and minority voices.

Follow us as we put the spotlight on some of the most inspiring and current topics.

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