Terms the Latinx and Hispanic Communities Would Like You To Know

What’s the difference between Latino, Latinx, and Hispanic? Even within the community, there is some confusion surrounding these nuanced cultural identifiers. That said, there is strong consensus about the following identities. Remember: “Hispanic” and “Latinx” are not racial categories; collectively, they comprise an ethnicity, according to the United States Census Bureau.  

Latino/a

Def. A person of Latin American origin; this cultural identity includes Brazilians and excludes Spaniards.

This term is analogous to “Latino,” “Latina,” and the written “Latin@.” It is worth noting that not all Brazilians identify as “Latino,” although some do.

Hispanic

Def. A person descended from a Spanish-speaking culture or nation.

Often, people think that “Latino/a” and “Hispanic” are synonymous and interchangeable. That is not the case. To put it simply, “Latino/a” refers to geographical location (i.e., having roots in Latin American countries), whereas “Hispanic” points out that the person’s ethnic culture is Spanish-speaking. A person can be both simultaneously, in which case they are a Hispanic Latino/a or a Hispanic Latinx.

Latinx

Def. A gender-neutral alternative to Latino, Latina, or Latino/a referring to someone of Latin American descent.

Remember, there are people who don’t subscribe to the gender binary, so this term envelops all members of the community. It too eliminates the problem of referring to all members of the community by the masculine plural, “Latinos.” Also, the Spanish language is gendered, as its grammar ascribes feminine and masculine pronouns and articles to inanimate objects. In short, the term “Latinx” pushes back against this tradition, although the identifier is more prominently used in the United States in reference to its Latin American residents.

Spanish

Def. A person from Spain.

Please do not call a Hispanic or Latinx person “Spanish.” It just isn’t accurate.

Lastly, remember that there are even more nuanced identities within individual nations. For complex reasons, the Latinx and Hispanic communities don’t figure into racial categories and many perceive this as a sort of identity crisis, especially within nations as diverse as the U.S. However, keep in mind that in the grand scheme of things, “race” is a social construct. Often, we forget that we are fundamentally more similar than we are different. Still, that being said, cultural identity is integral to the lives of many. And we should respect that. 

None of the images used belong to the author or Her Campus UC Davis.

Thumbnail courtesy of Samantha Montes de Oca.

• cultural identity
• hispanic
• latina
• latino
• latinx