Latinx is a term that has spiked in popularity in recent years. And as seen with other terms labeling a group it has sparked debate and controversy.

Spanish is a language that is very gender based. The language caters more to males. But, there are people in the Latin community that do not conform to a single gender and would prefer to use terms that are closer to what they identify as. It’s important to recognize the vastness of the Latin community. We are an incredibly diverse group of people. And with this diversity, we have to respect the differences of each other.

It’s also useful to note that “Latinx” isn’t the only term to use when wanting to refer to the community or a person who does not conform to a single gender or no gender. For example, “Latine” is another term used to refer to Latinos. And this term fits better with the language and the accent of the language. 

 To those who say that the term is something that only white liberals or whitewashed Latinos use, the use of the letter “x” after gender based words has been seen in Latin America by Spanish speakers. This isn’t new and isn’t limited to the U.S. It’s time to put an effort to include all people of our community who do not identify with the gender based words of Spanish. 

As a Mexican-American myself who speaks Spanish, I do not have a problem with the term. I completely stand with those who choose to use it.