Latino/Latina, Latine, or Latinx

For context, remember: Spanish is a gendered language where singular nouns are declined male/masculine (Latino) or female/feminine (Latina); plural nouns use the masculine declension (Latinos) even when women outnumber men in a group. “Latinx” (LAT-uhn-eks or luh-TEE-neks) is a gender-neutral or non-binary alternative to Latino/Latina/Latin American and is fast growing as the preferred identifier among U.S. Latin American communities.

Though many agree that inclusivity in language is a good thing, the level of facility in pronunciation of one over the other is more the topic of discussion when it comes to Latinx vs. Latine. Most media outlets, Remezcla included, have opted for Latinx up until now. The problem, many find, is that it’s difficult to pronounce Spanish words that have replaced gendered vowels with an “x.” For many, it’s easier to use the gender neutral “e” instead.