For most of my life, I’ve seen the terms Hispanic and Latino used interchangeably and in conversation with one another. The U.S. Census Bureau started this trend and regards Hispanic/Latino origin as the same idea, same concept, regardless of race. Race is an entirely different factor — which I won’t elaborate on — but it’s time more students understood the key differences between these terms and when to use them.
The correct answer is not so simple, unfortunately.
Firstly, let’s talk about the history of these terms. Following a lot of Hispanic and Latino activism, The Census Bureau finally coined “Hispanic” to act as a broader terminology for Latinos and Hispanics, even though they are distinct from one another. According to Britannica, “Hispanic” is not as encompassing as “Latino”; it only includes those from Spanish-speaking Latin America, including some parts of the Caribbean and those from Spain. In the 90s, criticism for “Hispanic” arose, because it bore strong connections to Spain and colonization, thus, “Latino” was created to mitigate these issues.
The term, “Latino” stems from the word, “Latinoamericano,” and loosely refers to those born in or whose ancestors come from Latin America. This distinction includes Brazilians as well. “Latino” doesn’t include Spaniards, as it’s not based on speaking Romance languages, such as Spanish. In layman’s terms, this means Brazilians can regard themselves as Latinos but not Hispanic (since Brazil’s language is primarily Portuguese). A Spaniard is only Hispanic and not Latino and vice versa. In my case, I am both since my mother is Colombian and my father is Mexican – both of these countries are Spanish-speaking and within Latin America. Basically, understanding and distinguishing between the two is significant to not only respecting Latino/as and Hispanics, but also acknowledging their cultural differences.
However, these categories and binaries leave out the diverse, prolific indigenous populations from Spanish-speaking countries; a group like the Maya, who practice their own language and culture which are distinct from the rest of Mexico, Guatemala and the other countries they populate. According to the World Bank, indigenous peoples constitute about 8% of the Latin American population, but still suffer from poverty, a lack of healthcare access, basic services and education. The fight for their existence and collective rights is still a necessary battle.
The term “Latinx” originates from “Latino”, and its usage began in 2018, per Merriam-Webster. It is used by those who choose not to use Latino/a because they don’t want to be defined by gender. The Pew Research Center reports that approximately one out of four Hispanics have heard of the term, but only about 3% use it to describe themselves. I’ve already felt the critiques from those who have a certain disdain for the term, claiming that it was created by U.S. English speakers, who have no stake in this fight. Others claim it as a more gender-inclusive term, especially for the LGBTQIA+ community. I’m glad there’s a term that people feel connected and comfortable to use — Spanish, like any other language, must evolve with the times and those who engage in it must be willing to do so as well.
At the end of the day, Hispanics, Latinos/a or Latinx individuals may fall under some of these categories or they may choose to define themselves as where they feel connected to. In my experience, some Latinx or Hispanic individuals just answer like, “I’m Puerto Rican,” or “I’m from El Salvador” and vice versa. If they regard themselves as this, there’s no need to make them further explain their heritage.
Use this Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month to educate yourself about these terms and the histories or people behind them. To my Latinos/a, Latinx and Hispanics on campus, NC State has an overarching amount of resources, clubs and events for this month. Check out the Counseling Center’s website and Multicultural Student Affairs’ calendar for more information.
