Question

What is the difference between Hispanic and Latino. Is this an ethnicity? Race? How would you contrast it with Latinx (this is your opinion)

Answer 1

Hispanic refers to people with a cultural or ancestral tie to Spanish-speaking countries, while Latino relates to those with links to Latin America, including Portuguese-speaking Brazil. Latinx is a gender-neutral term encompassing a broader spectrum of gender identities. These are considered ethnic, not racial, classifications by the U.S. government.

Step-by-step explanation:

The terms Hispanic and Latino often cause confusion, and understanding their meanings requires exploring U.S. racial and ethnic classification systems. Hispanic generally refers to people with a cultural or ancestral tie to Spain or Spanish-speaking countries, often regardless of race. On the other hand, Latino refers broadly to individuals with cultural or ancestral ties to Latin America, including countries that are Portuguese-speaking such as Brazil. Both Hispanic and Latino are ethnic categories used by the government, not racial ones.

Latinx is a newer, gender-neutral term that has emerged to acknowledge non-binary gender identities and to distance itself from the masculine-centric 'o' in Latino and the perceived gender binary inherent to the Spanish language. While 'Latinx' serves as a more inclusive term, its usage is still a subject of debate and is not universally adopted among people it is meant to represent.

While many forms in the U.S. provide distinct options for racial identity, there has been a recognized need for more accurate representation of the diverse racial backgrounds within the Hispanic and Latino communities. This is evidenced by the fact that a significant number of Hispanic/Latino Americans have mixed racial backgrounds, often mestizo (a mix of European and Indigenous American), and may not neatly fit into the available categories, leading them to select 'other'.

It's important to note that the Hispanic and Latino population in the United States is extremely diverse, encompassing a wide variety of ethnicities, nationalities, and races, and may include Hispanic Asians, Hispanic Whites, and Hispanic Blacks among others. In essence, Hispanic and Latino are pan-ethnic terms that represent a wide spectrum of people with varied racial profiles.

Answer 2

Difference:

Hispanic refers to a person with ancestry from a Spanish-speaking country. While Latino (Latina, Latinx) refers to a person tied to origins anywhere from Mexico, South, and Central America, as well as the Caribbean.

About Latinx:

While you've heard of the phrase Latina, Latino, and Latinx. They mean the same thing but are typically depicted as grammatical gender within Spanish. As the letter (o) at the end of Latino is spoken as masculine, and the letter (a) at the end of Latina is spoken as feminine. the (x) at the end of Latinx is used as a gender-neutral alternative.