AOC Blasts Fellow Democrats for Resisting Term Latinx: 'Not About Your Reelection Prospects'

[comradebillyboy]

AOC Blasts Fellow Democrats for Resisting Term Latinx: ‘Not About Your Reelection Prospects’

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) blasted critics of the term Latinx, including fellow Democrats who resist using it and think it’s “bad for the party.”

After a brief discussion of the term on Sunday night in her Instagram stories, Ocasio-Cortez launched into a “mini-rant,” in which she targeted unidentified Democrats.

I also have a mini-rant about this because there are some politicians, including Democratic politicians, that rail against the term ‘Latinx.’ And they’re like, ‘this is so bad, this is so bad for the party,’ like blah blah blah. And it’s almost like it hasn’t struck some of these folks that another person’s identity is not about your reelection prospects.

The gender-neutral term has been hit with resistance in recent years. A December poll from a Democratic firm found that 30 percent are actually less likely to vote for a politician that takes Ocasio-Cortez’s advice and uses the term. The polling also found only 2 percent of Hispanic respondents actually said they use the term themselves.

https://www.mediaite.com/politics/aoc-blasts-fellow-democrats-for-resisting-term-latinx-not-about-your-reelection-prospects/

[NoRethugFriends]

1. Most Latinx people dislike the term also.

Many similar articles
https://www.axios.com/2022/01/04/the-rise-and-fall-latinx-latino-hispanic

[quaint]

4. + + +

[Dorian Gray]

20. She says

it's disrespectful not to use it in hopes of getting re-elected.

What if I don't use it bc the majority of Latino/a people do not like it.

If I were to meet up with AOC, I would use it when referring to her bc she obviously appreciates it. But the majority don't and she's totally wrong on this one.

[betsuni]

85. +1

[ecstatic]

76. She's wrong this time. Authenticity matters.

I don't think anyone should force themselves to use a term that doesn't come naturally. You just end up looking phony and it won't be well received. For those who it does come naturally to, by all means, dive in, but be careful. It doesn't look like the term has taken off as much as AOC thinks.

[Celerity]

2. This is not helpful from her. We are already in a tailspin with Hispanic voters, and

trying to ram this down their throats will just alienate them more.

The Democrats' Hispanic Voter Problem: It's Not As Bad As You Think--It's Worse

https://theliberalpatriot.substack.com/p/the-democrats-hispanic-voter-problem-dfc

By Ruy Teixeira (Center for American Progress, Brookings Institution, etc)

The Democrats are steadily losing ground with Hispanic voters. The seriousness of this problem tends to be underestimated in Democratic circles for a couple of reasons: (1) they don’t realize how big the shift is; and (2) they don’t realize how thoroughly it undermines the most influential Democratic theory of the case for building their coalition. On the latter, consider that most Democrats like to believe that, since a relatively conservative white population is in sharp decline while a presumably liberal nonwhite population keeps growing, the course of social and demographic change should deliver an ever-growing Democratic coalition. It is simply a matter of getting this burgeoning nonwhite population to the polls.

But consider further that, as the Census documents, the biggest single driver of the increased nonwhite population is the growth of the Hispanic population. They are by far the largest group within the Census-designated nonwhite population (19 percent vs. 12 percent for blacks). While their representation among voters considerably lags their representation in the overall population, it is fair to say that voting trends among this group will decisively shape voting trends among nonwhites in the future since their share of voters will continue to increase while black voter share is expected to remain roughly constant.

It therefore follows that, if Hispanic voting trends continue to move steadily against the Democrats, the pro-Democratic effect of nonwhite population growth will be blunted, if not cancelled out entirely, and that very influential Democratic theory of the case falls apart. That could—or should—provoke quite a sea change in Democratic thinking. Turning to the nature and size of recent Hispanic shifts against the Democrats—it’s not as bad as you think, it’s worse. Here are ten points drawn from available data about the views and voting behavior of this population. Read ‘em and weep.

1. In the most recent Wall Street Journal poll, Hispanic voters were split evenly between Democrats and Republicans in the 2022 generic Congressional ballot. And in a 2024 hypothetical rematch between Trump and Biden, these voters favored Biden by only a single point. This is among a voter group that favored Biden over Trump in 2020 by 26 points according to Catalist (two party vote).

snip

much, much more at the link, a tonne of data, this is not just one poll

[comradebillyboy]

6. Very informative post. Thanks for the detailed data.

[Dorian Gray]

22. I'm going to take her reasoning

to NOT use it. It's disrespectful to people who don't identify as LatinX to use the term.

I don't care about elections. I care about communities of people where the majority don't like it.

[FoxNewsSucks]

30. The right noticed that population growth as well,

that's why they bought up so many radio stations and converted them to the spanish-speaking version of Limbaugh/Hannity.

AM Hate Radio blanketing America worked on rural whites, and I would bet the spread of the same propaganda in spanish, in hispanic areas, would account for most if not all of that shift away from Democrats.

Seems to be just one more thing our side does nothing about.

[Sympthsical]

65. I am very pleased to see that people on our side are taking steps on this

https://www.npr.org/2022/06/05/1103145047/a-group-of-spanish-radio-stations-are-being-sold-to-a-new-democratic-latino-grou

A shake-up in Spanish-language radio is in the works. Eighteen large-market stations across the U.S. are being sold. Some are known for being ultraconservative, and the new buyer - it's a group largely run by Democrats. The stations include Radio Mambi in Miami. That's where NPR member station reporter Tim Padgett is following the story. Hi, Tim.

TIM PADGETT, BYLINE: Hi, Ayesha.

RASCOE: Tell us more about the stations being sold and this new buyer.

PADGETT: Well, these are 18 stations - Spanish-language stations - in 10 of the country's largest Latino radio markets from across the country - from Miami to Los Angeles, from New York to San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas, Houston. And these are - as you mentioned, in some of these markets, such as Miami, these are radio stations that can be very conservative, sometimes right-wing and sometimes accused of being exponents of right-wing disinformation. And that's one of the reasons that I think you're seeing groups like this new Latino media network, that is led by Democratic investors for the most part, although it's bipartisan - it's one of the reasons you're seeing them throwing resources now at buying stations like these.

This is the sort of action needed on our side.

[FoxNewsSucks]

73. Thank you! That could be some of the best news I've seen in a while.

Air America was effective, that's why it was killed.

The article didn't say what programming was planned, and it was a little discouraging to see the word "bipartisan" and read that republicons are involved in any way. But I hope they plan on airing shows similar to Thom Hartmann, Randi Rhodes and Nicole Sandler.

[orleans]

84. so glad to hear it. thanks for posting this nt

[treestar]

88. She gets elected in a deep blue district

and thinks she knows things, but that means she might know very little. Her advice may not be as good as that from those who run in competitive districts.

[Bok_Tukalo]

3. I get the feeling some Democrats want to be in the minority.

Here at least
We shall be free; th' Almighty hath not built
Here for his envy, will not drive us hence:
Here we may reign secure, and in my choyce
To reign is worth ambition though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav'n.

~ AOC probably

[GenX_Dem]

63. Sadly I feel the same, underdog syndrome

[nycbos]

5. If Latinx is only used by 2 percent of Hispanics then AOC needs to get outside of her twitter bubble

[comradebillyboy]

8. Here in New Mexico I have never heard any Hispanic

politician in either party use the term latinx. In fact I have never heard any public figure in this state use that term.

[hlthe2b]

27. +++

[brush]

7. If Latinos don't like/use it, why should we?

I was once in favor of it as a simplification and not having to say "Latinos and Latinas", and also just a typical Americanization as we like to use shortcuts and abbreviations in language.

But after much reading and personally hearing Latinos say it's not proper Spanish and is an anglicized word being forced on them, I've changed my mind about it.

As a party we really need to increase inroads into the Latino community and one way to do it is to advertise much more on Spanish language TV and radio. That's what the republicans are doing and it's showing in polling preferences. We can not afford to lose the Latino vote if we want to hold the House and Senate. Also state legislatures.

[ProfessorGAC]

69. An Adjunct To Your Point

Most people of Latin American descent (or immigrants from there) are proud of their culture & their language.
There language makes the "o" or "a" distinction.
Their pride in their culture & language seems at odds with the "x" designation.
I guess I'm unsurprised that most Hispanic folks don't like it.

[Autumn]

14. I'm exactly the opposite. I will take AOC's opinion over Huerta's.

Always. I believe young Democratic politicians are more aware of the pulse of young people than activists

[brush]

17. Why would you say that if only 2 percent of Latinos use the term?

Most Latinos don't like it and don't think it's proper Spanish.

To keep Latino voters we should actually be aware of the pulse of the Latino community which doesn't seem to prefer the term Latinx.

[Autumn]

29. I would ask if you have a link? There are 5 major sub-types of Spanish spoken in the US, they are

Mexican, Caribbean, Central American, Colonial, and Spanglish, with Mexican being the most common. Castilian Spanish is proper formal Spanish. Most Latinos I know don't speak proper Spanish. I have found it is the older conservative Latinos that don't like the term Latinx.

[Dr. Strange]

37. From 2020:

About One-in-Four U.S. Hispanics Have Heard of Latinx, but Just 3% Use It

[LeftInTX]

82. It originated at Columbia University in NYC around 10 years ago.

There is no "Spanish" noun that ends in "X"....

Lots of indigenous words supposedly have "X"s in them like Mexico and Texas etc

The X's were put in by the Spanish because they had trouble pronouncing them, so they stuck X's in there....

Latinx is anti-Spanish language. It's rebellion against Spanish colonialism. It's a merge of Latino and indigenous. It's kinda like Chicano. Chicano is an activist term and so is Latinx.

[Autumn]

86. Guess what? There is now.nt

[treestar]

89. and there is no way to make Spanish gender neutral

Latinos would refer to men or all, Latina to women. The very reason to resort to the X is that Spanish just doesn't have a gender neutral term, or if it did, someone would have to find something like "gente" (people) and use it in English.

[AntivaxHunters]

32. Why are you personally attacking & insulting

someone? We should be able to discuss our differences. We're Democrats, it's how we treat one another, like adults. And that's what makes us so different than the assholes on the right.

[AntivaxHunters]

41. OK I'm confused

Do you mean AOC or do you mean the OP?
Because it read like you were attacking the OP.

[CrackityJones75]

49. I read it as AOC.

[Me.]

10. Just Another Day

[TheRealNorth]

11. Seems like needless distraction/ infighting on AOC's part.

Let the candidate decide what their electorate is most comfortable with.

[JohnSJ]

12. Whether I end in an "O" or an "A". Here was MY SENATOR, Alex Padilla's view:

This was the response Padilla gave: “That’s [Rep. Gallego’s] opinion, and I respect it. I don’t completely agree. Here you say it and it just throws me back to the years and years of debates, not just in college by the way, of Hispanic versus Latino versus Chicano versus Mexican American, when we get caught up in the terminology. It comes across in different ways to different people in different parts of the country. Latinx, look, for the younger generation especially, it is purposeful. It is more than just symbolic. In the Spanish language, you have feminine versus masculine nouns, and the move to Latinx is one way of saying, ‘You know what, if we’re all equal, let’s let our language reflect that.'”

“[Latinx] is relatively new for some. I’d be interested in the cross tabs, if you will, the underlying data in polling. For older voters, maybe not nearly as popular. For younger voters, which is the growing part of the Latino electorate, they embrace it,” Padilla added.

And this is where we will say that Padilla’s answer is somewhat accurate if you look at recent data and cross tabs. As Pew noted last year, the term is no way near being popular in use, but when broken down by older and younger groups, there is clearly greater awareness with younger people and increased use of the term."

https://www.latinorebels.com/2021/04/10/padillalatinx/

[nycbos]

13. Gallego also said...

.. if someone want to use Latinx for themselves I respect that because I am not an asshole"

[ColinC]

15. It isn't the most important issue int he world

But it is an important issue, and I'm glad people like Gallego, Padilla and AOC are discussing it.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

16. There she goes again

*sigh*

[Magoo48]

18. Oh, it's beat up the progressive Latina day. How fun! How wonderfully moderate.

[NoRethugFriends]

19. Nope. I like AOC. This was a mistake on her part.

And your response is knee-jerk. Have you read any of the articles which uniformly agree that a large majority of Latinx people dislike the term Latinx?

[ripcord]

21. So not supporting everything she suggests is beating her up? nt

[Just A Box Of Rain]

23. She attacks Democrats for not using a term that you just botched yourself

and it is "beat up the progressive Latina day?"

Don't think that flies.

[JI7]

24. Why did you use Latina instead of Latinx ?

[Autumn]

42. Because AOC uses the pronoun She/her. Hence, Latina. Latinx is used by people

who are looking for a more inclusive and gender-free alternative to "Latino" or "Latina.

[JI7]

56. So even she doesn't want it used for her but she attacks others for not using the term

[Autumn]

59. Others do use it. New words are added to the various Spanish dialects just as they are to the

English language and dictionaries all the time. Some people do use it, it will catch on or it won't. There is no reason for a politician to opine on a word they don't like. I doubt half of them know what it means . There are better things they can and should be doing.

Also, using any gender terms is a personal fucking choice.

[andricv]

25. Question. Should we change "ninos" (children) to "ninxs"? and padres (parents) to "xadres"?

In Spanish, general terms are expressed in the masculine form.
Niño=boy
Niña= girl
Niños = children.

padre = father
madre = mother
padres = parents.

Why limit the x to the term "latinx"?

[Act_of_Reparation]

70. As if on cue, the predictable flurry of reductive arguments arrives.

The entire language isn't going to degender overnight, my dude. No one in favor of the change expects that it will. This is about getting the ball rolling.

[andricv]

72. I just wanted a yes or no

Should children be called "Niñxs"?
And is it sexist that children are called by the masculine form. You typed two paragraphs without answering.

[treestar]

90. That's true

the only one I can think of it "gente" and using that in English would be a bit strange. It would have to be explained at first.

[hlthe2b]

26. It may be accepted in NYC, but not elsewhere in the largely Hispanic areas esp in SW

AOC should be cautious about such broad generalizations.

[Dorian Gray]

74. it's not acceptable

even here in NYC. Maybe at Columbia University and NYU. But in immigrant communities, very few people identify that way.

[Tomconroy]

28. Irinx.....maybe not.

[themaguffin]

31. Ugh, why. Just why is she doing this.

[dalton99a]

33. The DNC should launch a mass education campaign to tell Hispanics Latinx means THEM

[Autumn]

40. Just as new words are coined to the English language, new words are added to the Spanish language .

"Latinx" has typically been adopted among people who are looking for a more inclusive and gender-free alternative to "Latino" or "Latina." Spanish words are automatically gendered to signify a man or a woman, leaving no option for those who choose to identify as non-binary. I do know that older Latinos are more resistant to any change than younger ones, it's a generational thing. That is why the tempest in a tea pot here. Huerta is 89, AOC is 32.

[andricv]

44. Should we change "siblings" to "hermanxs" instead of "hermanos"?

In spanish, the term siblings is the masculine form.
For example,
Brother = hermano
Sister = hermana
Siblings = hermanos

Why stop at Latinx and not continue just deleting all the O's in plural forms?
The DNC is going to have to explain that one to Hispanics.

[brush]

46. That's the problem. Many feel if it meant them...

they would've heard of it. Many haven't and most of those who have don't consider it proper Spanish. IMO terms referring to an ethnic group should emerge from the cullture of that group. Latinx is a well-meaning and non-gender but it's obviously an Americanization as we like to use shortcuts and abbreviations in language. But if it didn't emerge from the Latino community and most don't like it and feel it's being forced upon them by white Americans, we should leave it alone and not try to force its use.

[brooklynite]

67. You know another term that means them? Hispanics.

Our goals should be to address the issues Hispanic voters are concerned about...not the issues Party activists THINK they should be concerned about.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

75. To further complicate matters

here in Los Angeles there is a pretty strong aversion to the term "Hispanic" being used to describe people who have roots in Mexico/Central America/South America and other Spanish-speaking regions.

One, many of these people don't speak Spanish (or at least not fluently) and two it has taken on the onus of "cop talk," as in "the suspects are two twenty year old hispanics." "Caucasians" has a similar taint.

So "hispanic" is a term that is generally not well-received. Those using it are typically regarded with suspicion.

[mcar]

34. In an interview just the other day,

she called elected members of her own party corrupt, now she's criticizing them for this.

I can't imagine why she is doing this.

[msongs]

36. one might suspect it is attention seeking nt

[mcar]

38. Yes.

She is in a safe district. I wish she would care more about Democrats in swing districts whose elections depend on good turnout.

I also wish she'd turn her attention to the real corrupt legislators - the Republicans.

[Silent3]

39. I'm going to go with latin와...

...just to confused everyone, and/or appeal to the Hispanic/Korean community.

[dalton99a]

47. Heck, why not? Add that to the new standard lexicon

[BlueTsunami2018]

43. This is the kind of nonsense that turns the general public off.

This is among the very least important things we have to worry about and it’s a priority for her? No one cares or uses the term, it’s an irrelevancy.

Focus on the important things for fuck’s sake.

Sometimes, a district can be too safe.

[BlackSkimmer]

45. I don't know any one of that background that likes that term.

These silly buzzwords that someone comes up with. Ugh.

[Autumn]

48. Just as new words are coined for the English Language and dictionary it is the same with

the Spanish Language and dictionary. Latinx" has been adopted among people who are looking for a more inclusive and gender-free alternative to "Latino" or "Latina" . Spanish words are gendered to signify male or a female, leaving no option for those who choose to identify as non-binary. You would think these politicians have never heard of new words.

[Crunchy Frog]

51. New words that are accepted in the English language

generally emerge organically, and within the community who speak that language.

Maybe things are different for new words in the Spanish speaking community. They probably appreciate having English speaking ideologues impose new words on them.

[Autumn]

60. Same for various Hispanic communities, they use new words and stuff too. No one is imposing that

word on the Spanish speaking community. It's their choice to use it or not. Some who do not identify as being of the male or female gender are using it.

[BlackSkimmer]

61. Well, I can only speak for the Hispanic friends and neighbors I know.

They find that word abhorrent.

[Autumn]

62. I can only speak for myself as a Latina and my friends and family.

We have no problem using it or with people who do. I actually like the term Latina but I'm from a time when everything was gender-based. I have a younger transgendered family member and friends who use the term Latinx. Not everyone fits into neat little categories of masculine or feminine. I also think it's a generational thing.

Gender pronouns are a personal choice.

[BlackSkimmer]

66. You misunderstand me. No one has a problem with Latina or Latino.

It's that stupid made up word Latinx.

[Autumn]

71. I didn't misunderstand you at all, you don't like the word Latinx. I as a Latina have no problem

using the term Latinx if someone prefers it. I use the word Latina because I identify as a female. Like AOC my pronoun is she/her. For those Hispanics who are LGBT and gender-nonconforming the 'x' is for them, the people who don’t feel included within the ‘a’ or the ‘o.

Autumn (41,502 posts)

62. I can only speak for myself as a Latina and my friends and family.

We have no problem using it or with people who do. I actually like the term Latina but I'm from a time when everything was gender-based. I have a younger transgendered family member and friends who use the term Latinx. Not everyone fits into neat little categories of masculine or feminine. I also think it's a generational thing.

Gender pronouns are a personal choice.

[tishaLA]

50. I'd avoided using it for a long time

even though it's ubiquitous at the university where I teach, I always disliked it because it sounds strangely un-Spanish and awkward. Then one of my students, a Latina, asked me to use it to be inclusive of nonbinary people of Latin descent. I could either offend, I guess, this alleged majority that dislikes the term or I could offend LGBTQ people of Latin descent. So I started saying Latinx.

[Crunchy Frog]

52. I think it's probably dependent on the preferences of a given community.

A group of university students may view things differently than a group of ranchers.

I think it's a good thing to take your cues from the group that you're dealing with.

[LeftInTX]

77. It's an LGBT-hipster term

Goes well with avocado toast

[tishaLA]

81. Thank you for diminishing my students

[Vinca]

53. I would guess 99% of the time people have no idea what it means. AOC should pick her fights.

This is a nothingburger.

[Kid Berwyn]

54. Resonates with young people.

I’ll go with AOC.

[harumph]

55. This is a distraction.

[brooklynite]

68. ...who don't bother to vote.

[asa4ever]

57. I won't use it because when I mention a friend, I don't call them anything but their name.

My parents never referred to anyone by anything but their name. My parents never asked me the color. the religion, or the sex of the person I had a date with.

[Tarc]

58. Well, she can't be right on everything all of the time I guess

This is a swing-and-a-miss, no one use "Latinx" outside of hipster circles. It is grammatically incorrect and awkward to pronounce.

[betsuni]

64. "the term is banned in ... his office and said it is used to appease 'rich progressives.'"

This is a quote from the article. The " " things means those are not my words.

[In It to Win It]

78. She would use her voice to focus on the economic messages, like price gouging at the pump

[electric_blue68]

79. It's,s good to know that there maybe a generational aspect...

I started using last year, then I heard sometime this year it wasn't being accepted.

I'll keep an ear out.

[LeftInTX]

83. It's very generational. It's an activist term.

So it isn't just young Latinos, it's mostly LBGT, progressive, hipster type Latinos. So it's a subset of young Latinos.
The word came about to be "gender inclusive" and a "snub" to Spanish colonialism.

How Mexican-Americans feel about their mixed indigenous roots and Spanish roots is a mixed bag...Some people get activist about it, disavowing their European heritage. Most people are proud their indigenous heritage, but not activist. However, most Mexican-Americans don't have particulars on their specific indigenous heritage. That was because the Spanish had missions and much of the true culture was lost early on.

I'm in a Mexican genealogy group. Someone was appalled that she didn't have much indigenous DNA and she said, "Oh no! I'm mostly conquistador"..

My husband's DNA is 1/2 indigenous, but we recently found out he was descended from several conquistadors.

[electric_blue68]

92. Oh, boy ..

I'm in a Mexican genealogy group. Someone was appalled that she didn't have much indigenous DNA and she said, "Oh no! I'm mostly conquistador"..

My husband's DNA is 1/2 indigenous, but we recently found out he was descended from several conquistadors

Complicated much?! And a touch emotional, too.

[LeftInTX]

94. The woman who just received DNA results had no idea if she was related to any conquistadors

I found them in hubby's family tree. In the US, not too many of us are related to "Founding Fathers". However, in Monterrey, everyone is related to these guys (Diego Montemayor is one. Alberto del Canto is another. Montemayor killed one of his wives for having an affair with with Canto.)


I said to my son. "Here is your 13th great grandfather"
Son: "I like his outfit"
?


I can't trace any family lineage of mine like these dudes..LOL...I'm Armenian on one side. (Trail runs cold around 1900)
I'm Scotts Irish on the other. Everyone on that side seems to have arrived before the American Revolution, but records in the US were horrible, so tracing lineage is challenging.

[electric_blue68]

95. Heh! I've seen that painting (on line)...

Your son 😀
Yes, very fancy threads!

Learn something new everyday re those guys. 👍

So what are Scotts Irish? Inter married?


Re: Founding Fathers - no most people don't have any of them on their family tree!
However I have a long time Texan friend who can trace on which ever side of her lineage back to the Mayflower! 🚢
😄 That's pretty wild.

I'm half 2nd Gen Greek-American, and half
Ukrainian-American.
I guess I'm part 2nd Gen Austrian bc on my dad's birth cert they list his mom's birth place as Austria. Back then either she moved earlier, or the borders changed!

[LeftInTX]

96. Scots Irish is basically a redneck brit...(I'm sure someone will disagree with me)

The Irish part is generally Northern Ireland and Protestant. I don't believe boundaries were very strict. Once they moved to the US, they seemed to marry whoever as long as they were Protestant. I don't think there was much tabu against marrying a lower tier Brit. As long as the person was Protestant, it seemed to be OK. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch-Irish_Americans

I believe blue-grass music is their legacy.

The settled primarily in the South, the Appalachians etc Hatfields and the McCoys are classic examples.

[Behind the Aegis]

80. Nx Gracias.

This is not the mountain top; it isn't even a fucking crag on the cliff.

[themaguffin]

87. I saw Fox's screen at the gym this morning, this was the story. FFS. What an unforced error.

[Demsrule86]

91. Let me say this nicely...it is not her business to school Democrats during a midterm year. Now

she can say...it is not about getting elected because she is in a deep blue district and should win easily. Should she face a primary or decide not to continue as a Representative, that district remains blue.

[JustAnotherGen]

93. What a stupid thing for the press to report on