Latinx Identity

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Exploration of the unique experiences and cultural identities of individuals who identify as Latinx, including the history of the term and its evolution.

History of Latinx identity: This topic covers the history of Latinx people in the Americas, including their diverse national, ethnic, and regional origins, cultural influences, and experiences of colonization, assimilation, discrimination, and resistance.
Language and communication: This topic explores the role of Spanish and other Latin American languages in shaping Latinx identity and culture, as well as the challenges and opportunities of bilingualism, code-switching, and language policies in different contexts.
Race and ethnicity: This topic addresses the complex and dynamic intersections of race, ethnicity, and social class among Latinx people, including issues of colorism, Afro-Latinidad, indigenous identity, and mestizaje (racial mixing).
Gender and sexuality: This topic focuses on the diverse expressions and experiences of Latinx gender and sexuality, including machismo, marianismo, hija de la chingada, queer Latinx identities, and feminist struggles.
Religion, spirituality, and beliefs: This topic examines the rich and diverse religious and spiritual traditions of Latinx people, including Catholicism, Santeria, Yoruba, Curanderismo, and syncretic forms of worship that blend indigenous, African, and European influences.
Politics and social movements: This topic explores the complex and contested political identities and struggles of Latinx people, including issues of sovereignty, citizenship, migration, labor rights, environmental justice, and anti-imperialism.
Arts, media, and popular culture: This topic analyzes the creative and influential contributions of Latinx artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, and cultural producers in shaping contemporary Latinx identity and representation in global media and popular culture.
Education and representation: This topic addresses the challenges and opportunities of educating and representing Latinx people in academia, media, and other public spheres, and the importance of decolonizing and diversifying knowledge production and dissemination.
"Latinx is a neologism in American English which is used to refer to people of Latin American cultural or ethnic identity in the United States."
"The gender-neutral ⟨-x⟩ suffix replaces the ⟨-o/-a⟩ ending of Latino and Latina that are typical of grammatical gender in Spanish."
"Words used for similar purposes include Latin@, Latine, and the simple Latin."
"The term was first seen online around 2004."
"It has since been used in social media by activists, students, and academics who seek to advocate for non-binary and genderqueer individuals."
"Surveys of Hispanic and Latino Americans have found that the vast majority prefer other terms such as Hispanic and Latina/Latino to describe themselves."
"Only 2–3% use Latinx."
"A 2020 Pew Research Center survey found that roughly three-quarters of U.S. Latinos were not aware of the term Latinx."
"of those aware of it, 33% (i.e., about 8% of all U.S. Latinos) said it should be used to describe their racial or ethnic group."
"The Royal Spanish Academy style guide does not recognize the suffix -x."
"Critics say the term does not follow traditional grammar, is difficult to pronounce, and is disrespectful toward conventional Spanish."
"Both supporters and opponents have cited linguistic imperialism as a reason for supporting or opposing the use of the term."
"Democratic members of the Black and Puerto Rican caucuses introduced legislation to ban its use in government documents."
"They cited cultural appropriation by Americanizers who disfigure the Spanish language."