I’m from Mexico, but I’ve never traveled to latin american countries, I have no idea how cultures are in other latin american countries, yet for some reason, I’m latino?? I don’t want to identify as that, can I just identify as something else?? I mean some americans who have Irish ancestry say they are Irish, and I have spaniard ancestry, so can I say I’m spaniard??
The original meanings of words change over time with usage. Though they have some overlap and some differences (Brazilians are considered Latino but not Hispanic and Spaniards are considered Hispanic but not Latino), the term Latino is generally replacing previous usage of Hispanic, though Latino is likely used more in urban and coastal regions of the US and Hispanic is likely used more in rural and landlocked regions. The usage of either term won’t always be accurate and it will be an exonym used for people who don’t call themselves by that term.
You’re free to say, “I don’t identify as Latino. I’m Mexican.” Or “I’m Mexican American.” if you’re in the US. There will be surveys and polls and forms that won’t have Mexican as a choice though since they use pan-ethnic or continental terms for wide groups of people for categorization purposes. Similar to the fact that white isn’t an ethnicity or a scientific taxonomy. It’s an arbitrary designation with historical, social and political baggage.
“is likely used more in urban and coastal regions of the US and Hispanic is likely used more in rural and landlocked regions”, that is, “latino” is US based word, but it means almost nothing outside that country.
so it’s all fake?? “Latin America” doesn’t exist?? It’s a social concept, is there a biological thing that differentiates people from other countries?? For example, “Asian people have this biological height which ONLY OCCURS in Asian people”, or “Latino people have THIS FACIAL STRUCTURE, BUT ONLY LATINO”. Is that something that happens?? Of course not, none of those terms are real, I really dislike separating humans based on cultures. I just believe in the geographical facts!!!
I think you’re a bit mixed up about culture, geography, and biology. It seems like you’re arguing against claims that you don’t quite understand, yet haven’t laid out for commenters to help with.