Chicana/o/x, Latina/o/x, and Hispanic are not the same. Swipe to learn more about each term!
CHICANA/O/X or XICANA/O/X can be used to describe the people of Mexican descent. LATINA/O/X can be used to describe the people and culture of Latin American descent. HISPANIC can be used to describe the people, descendants, and culture of Spanish-speaking countries.
Although many use these words interchangeably, "Chicana/o/x", "Latina/o/x", and "Hispanic" are terms that have very different meanings that can be used to describe different individuals. As a platform dedicated to uplifting BIPOC communities in order to promote respect and clarity.
"Chicana/o/x", or "Xicana/o/x", can be used to describe the people of Mexican descent who were born in the United States and their culture. This term was initially considered a racial slur, but it has since been reclaimed by non-white Mexican Americans and accepted into common vocabulary. It should not be used to refer to people or cultures of other Latin American or Spanish-speaking countries.
"Latina/o/x" can be used to describe the people and culture of Latin American descent. This would exclude the people and culture of Spain.
"Hispanic" can be used to describe the people, descendants, and culture of Spanish-speaking countries, including many Latin American countries and Spain. However, the term excludes the people, descendants, and culture of Latin American countries that do no speak Spanish, like Brazil and Haiti.
If you're still having trouble when it comes to addressing people from the Latino/a/x and Hispanic community, please refer to the chart below to determine which term is most applicable.
Latina/o/x: Brazil; French Guiana; Guadeloupe; Haiti, Martinique; Saint Barthelemy; Saint Martin; Belize
Both: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile; Colombia; Costa Rica; Cuba; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; El Salvador; Guatemala; Honduras; Mexico; Nicaragua; Panama; Paraguay; Peru; Puerto Rico; Uruguay; Venezuela
Hispanic: Spain; Equatorial Guinea
Although we recognize that “Latino” has been able to center the experiences of many communities – it also excludes non-binary people. We use the alternative term “Latinx” to go beyond gender and establish inclusivity in our language.
Diffen Hispanic vs. Latino
Merriam Webster
Latin@: Its Pronunciation and Meaning
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