As the term “Latinx” has faced growing criticism and scrutiny within Latino and Hispanic communities, several institutions have now pivoted to a new term: “Latine.”
Latinx has been criticized for being a “catch-all” term that fails to accurately represent Hispanic and Latino individuals, according to Axios. The term, used as a way to refer to this demographic in a gender-neutral manner, was viewed unfavorably by many in these communities who did not understand why the term was necessary to implement in the first place. It also drew frustration from Spanish speakers, as many found the “x” ending to be unnatural with the language.
According to a recent poll by Axios-Ipsos that surveyed US Latinos, 41% said they were comfortable with the term “Latine.”
However, “Latino/a” and “Hispanic” are still the most preferred terms among respondents. More than half of US Latinos along the southern border or in the Midwest said the term "Latine" made them uncomfortable.
Carlos Zavala, Vice President of consulting firm Whiteboard Advisors which uses “Latine” in its reports, says that the term is "part of a movement centered on wanting to build and foster an inclusive community," per Axios.
The decline of "Latinx" has even led to official measures in some states. For instance, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued an executive order banning the term from official state documents last year.
"The government has a responsibility to respect its citizens and use ethnically appropriate language, particularly when referring to ethnic minorities," Sanders said at the time.
Arizona Democrat and senate candidate Ruben Gallego also criticized the term “Latinx” for the same reason back in 2021. In a post on X (then Twitter), he stated, “When Latino politicos use the term it is largely to appease white rich progressives who think that is the term we use. It is a vicious circle of confirmation bias.”Powered by StructureCMS™ Comments
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