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??
Isn’t Mexico part of Latin America?
I’ve always assumed it was.
no it’s not!! At least the border isn’t!!
Latin America designates the set of countries in the Americas where a Romance language predominates: Spanish, Portuguese, or French. Thus, it includes Mexico; most of Central and South America; and in the Caribbean, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.
so Canada is Latin America? They speak French… also, Mexico is in North America.
The whole country doesn’t speak french only Quebec does. Similar to Louisiana.
Im just quoting from wikipedia in my comment above so if you don’t like the definition take it up with them.
I never said mexico wasn’t in north america.
oh ok I’m very sorry nya!!! I thought you were saying that Mexico was in Central America, but the geographical fact is that it’s in North America nya!! Also Quebec would be a Latin American place then?? What if Mexico changed their language nya?? I speak English which means, I am bilingual, so if I speak English, I’m not Latino anymore??
FYI Central America is also in North America
yea!! Nevermind!! Central America doesn’t exist, it’s North America. I’m very sorry for saying those countries weren’t North American.
Unfortunately, you don’t always get to pick your labels. You can among friends and family, but it doesn’t change what people that don’t know you think. And people that don’t know you are often the people whose minds need the most changing.
Hopefully posts like this reach people that need their mind changed on how identity works and what matters about it and why.
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.
I would say Mexican of Spanish heritage counts as “Latino” or “Hispanic” in the US, yes. It’s a broad category here. You are also North American of European heritage. And yes of course, identify however the heck you want.
I think that in official United States forms they ask you your race, what if I chose “white”?? Is it illegal there to do that? Here they don’t ask for your race.
No, it’s not illegal, in fact it’s legal to leave it blank. The reason to choose Hispanic/Latino on forms is just to get information about discrimination and population trends. It’s supposed to benefit those groups not harm them, like there are school scholarships available for people from specific places, things like that.
Don’t overthink it. You identify how you identify, most people are more than one category here.
What do you think the term Latino means, and why don’t you want to identify as one?
person from Latin America. I don’t identify as that because if I did, I would have to be obliged and follow their cultures etc but I don’t have a culture!! I don’t do a lot of mexican things in my life, I’m very neutral!
There’s no such thing as not having a culture, nor such a thing as being “culturally neutral”.
ok… well what I mean is that my culture is internet and kind of american, I don’t like spicy food a lot, or eat mexican candies, I don’t drink soda!!
if I did, I would have to be obliged and follow their cultures
This doesn’t seem true to be. There is no culture police who will come and enforce the way you live your life to follow the norms of your ethnic label(s).
I don’t have a culture
This is impossible. Everyone has a culture. You may not follow all the cultural norms or traditions of where you are from, but it is guaranteed that who you are was impacted by the culture you were raised in. There is no such thing as neutral, otherwise you are saying your personal culture would fit in everywhere in the world (Mexico, USA, Italy, Russia, Japan, Philippines, etc).
Something to consider, even though they now speak Spanish a lot of people in Mexico aren’t descended from Spaniards, they are descended from tribes like the Aztec, Mayans and Olmec. Might be interesting to study your ancestry.
Others here have answered the basic questions. However, an even better answer would come from talking about it with your family. If for some reason you are not interested or able to discuss it with your parents, what about with cousins or grandparents?
