X Marks the Problem

Historically, people of Latin American and Spanish descent describe their identity in numerous ways in the U.S., reflecting the diverse origins of the Latino community. However, the emergence of Pan-ethnic labels such as “Hispanic” or “Latino” has generated controversial conversation in its ability to reflect a group that makes up 18.7 percent of the U.S. population. Over the past decade, "Latinx," a new, progressive, gender-neutral alternative to Latino/Latino, has been used by organizations, educational institutions, and news and entertainment media to describe the U.S. Hispanic population. Yet, the Hispanic population may consider Latinx as the most unpopular and controversial term there is.

Approximately one in four U.S. Hispanics are aware of the term Latinx, but according to a national survey by Pew Research Center, just three percent claim it as their preferred term.

Spanish is a gendered language, labeling nouns as either masculine or feminine. In the 2000s, Latinx arose as a progressive term for U.S. Hispanics who don't fall under the male/female gender binary. The use of Latinx spiked in 2016 after a mass shooting at Pulse, an LGBTQ nightclub in Orlando's queer Latino community. Latinx was later added to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary in 2018, reflecting the term's increasing popularity.

Yet using Latinx remains a divisive issue among the wider Hispanic population. For the community it is meant to represent, only 23 percent of the U.S. Hispanic population has heard of Latinx, reflecting how exclusive the term may be.

For Spanish-speakers who aren't fluent in English, replacing the "o" and "a" in "Latino/Latina" with "x" complicates the pronunciation of the term. Opposers of Latinx also claim that the term serves as a form of linguistic imperialism. In a study by Language Policy, linguistic imperialism is defined as “the exploitation of the ideological, cultural and elitist power of English for the economic and political advantage by dominant English speaking cultures.” Essentially, Latinx may be a term that excludes Spanish speakers outside of the U.S. For many Spanish speakers, gendering nouns is an integral component of the language itself. Removing the gendered context out of Spanish words can be seen as erasing the foundation of the Spanish language.

As society continues to seek ways to progress in gender inclusivity, certain forms of language will be challenged. This is true for people in Hispanic communities who resist conforming to gender labels erroneous to who they see themselves to be. People who identify themselves as non-binary find it easier to use Latinx when “Latino” or “Latina” do not accurately portray their true character. As newer generations continue to form their own understandings of gender and sexuality, the term Latinx may find less resistance.