3 ms·

Seems convoluted and unfair to condemn all people using a term for what you think are their reasons. Simpler explanation is that "Latinx" doesn't carry a gender

Seems convoluted and unfair to condemn all people using a term for what you think are their reasons. Simpler explanation is that "Latinx" doesn't carry a gender so it's more inclusive than "Latinos" and shorter than "Latinas and Latinos". I'm not saying it was a good idea but I don't get all the negativity towards it; at worst seems a misguided attempt by well-intentioned people, big deal, just let people call themselves whatever they want and let words and people evolve (see "African-Americans" and "Blacks").

xwdv 5y ago
The negativity is because Latinos did not call themselves Latinx, white people called them that because they didn’t understand and were intimidated by gendered languages, seeing them as a threat to “inclusivity” rather than just a different way of speaking. So then any “progressive thinking” Latino was forced to adopt the term for themselves as a result of peer pressure to fit in. I know I’m being hit with downvotes to my name the more I try to explain this but I’d rather speak the truth and be punished than stay quiet and take it to the grave.
- sunshineforever 5y ago
  I am transgender and I feel similarly about the language that has been adopted by our community in recent years. The difference is that the terminology seems to have originated from the trans community itself. But there are many modern correct terms that I don't feel comfortable using for myself but if I don't use them I am instantly seen as regressive. It's even so bad that one of the terms I used to enjoy casually calling myself among friends is now regarded as an outright slur and saying it is akin to cursing in a problematic manner. And yet it's something that I used to enjoy saying with no ill intent or bad feelings whatsoever. It's a sad situation. When I use the socially correct terms I feel as though I'm being forced to speak a certain way and it doesn't feel empowering, in fact it makes me feel vulnerable in a way that I don't necessarily want to be with every stranger that I come across.

xwdv 5y ago

The negativity is because Latinos did not call themselves Latinx, white people called them that because they didn’t understand and were intimidated by gendered languages, seeing them as a threat to “inclusivity” rather than just a different way of speaking. So then any “progressive thinking” Latino was forced to adopt the term for themselves as a result of peer pressure to fit in. I know I’m being hit with downvotes to my name the more I try to explain this but I’d rather speak the truth and be punished than stay quiet and take it to the grave.

sunshineforever 5y ago
I am transgender and I feel similarly about the language that has been adopted by our community in recent years. The difference is that the terminology seems to have originated from the trans community itself. But there are many modern correct terms that I don't feel comfortable using for myself but if I don't use them I am instantly seen as regressive. It's even so bad that one of the terms I used to enjoy casually calling myself among friends is now regarded as an outright slur and saying it is akin to cursing in a problematic manner. And yet it's something that I used to enjoy saying with no ill intent or bad feelings whatsoever. It's a sad situation. When I use the socially correct terms I feel as though I'm being forced to speak a certain way and it doesn't feel empowering, in fact it makes me feel vulnerable in a way that I don't necessarily want to be with every stranger that I come across.