Latine is a gender-neutral neologism alternative term to other identifying terms such as Latino, Latina, or Latix which are used to identify people of Latin American descent.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} The term stems from the more popular term, Latinx.^[6]

While Latine is still relatively new, only recently gaining use in the late 2010s,^[7] both Latine and Latinx can be used in the same manner. What makes these terms different is their ending: the term Latinx ends with an x which makes it difficult for Spanish speakers to pronounce and impossible to pronounce in the Spanish language.^{[8][9][10][11]}

Latinx's difficult pronunciation, its main use in the United States and in academia,^{[3][8][11][12]} and the increasing number of people identifying as non-binary and seeking terms that affirm their gender identities are some of the reasons as to why Latine is gaining attention and use.^[7][13]

The ending of each term, both the -e and the -x, are the representing of everything outside the gender binary, making these terms gender inclusive.^[5][6]

While the term is new to many countries outside Chile and Argentina, it is beginning to gain attraction in both academia and everyday use.^[8][14] While the term is more inclusive and making its way to other countries, many people who identify as Hispanic or Latino are still unaware of terms such as Latine or Latinx, with the majority being older people ages 50 and above.^[2]

History

While the exact origin of the term is unclear,^[3] the term is said to have originated from LGBTQ+ online activists wanting a more inclusive term to identify themselves aside from the difficult-to-pronounce Latinx.^[5][7] However, the new term is said to have originated in Chile and Argentina, being used by young student activists during protests.^[11][15]

In 2019, the Washington Post published an article that details the effects that the usage of gender-inclusive language had on Spanish-speaking populations after a young teenager spoke in a television interview. "Natalia Mira, 18, used gender-neutral language in a television interview that made headlines across the Spanish-speaking world last year. The viral video made her the subject of attacks, but now the form is finding official acceptance."^[15]

References