By Staff Writer: Cyrena Nielsen
As we have wrapped up Hispanic Heritage Month, it is important that we continue to celebrate everyone in the community. Hispanic and Latin American communities across the world use this month to celebrate the rich culture and history of their countries. During this month, it’s essential to use language that is inclusive and respects all identities. In recent conversation, many are questioning if Latinx is as inclusive as we think it is and why Latine is a great replacement.
During Hispanic Heritage Month, our emails and social media accounts become flooded with companies or organizations expressing their support behind those from Hispanic and Latin cultures. However, a lot of them use “Latinx”, a term that has been used to include all members of the community regardless of pronouns. When speaking with someone who is a native Spanish speaker, the x doesn’t work in their language as it does with native English speakers. Many are deciding to move to the more inclusive term “Latine”, which flows the same way as words like artiste or cantante. Those who advocate for the word to be switched say that it allows a stronger connection to their culture.
The choice to use Latinx and Latine seems to be a personal one and both are used to allow inclusivity. Latine allows even further inclusivity by allowing those who are not native English speakers to speak on their community.