VICTOR JOECKS: The term ‘Latinx’ is cultural appropriation

If you need more evidence of the disconnect between cultural elites and the general public, consider the term “Latinx.”

There’s a new national poll out on how Hispanic voters view that term, as reported by Politico on Monday. Sixty-eight percent said the term “Hispanic” comes the closest to describing their ethnic background. Latino or Latina came in at 21 percent. Just 2 percent selected “Latinx.” Eight percent preferred another description.

That might came as a surprise if one listened only to the “woke” elite running the Democratic Party and many American institutions.

“It’s awful hard as well to get Latinx vaccinated,” President Joe Biden said in a June speech. In her pre-presidential run book, “The truths we hold,” Kamala Harris used Latinx, instead of Latino. In 2018, UNLV Libraries launched a Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Project. In 2017, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto used the term in a Twitter attack on then-President Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees.

The term Latinx is an attempt to reshape the Spanish language, which gives nouns a specific gender. This includes inanimate objects, animals and feelings. This didn’t used to be controversial. For the vast majority of human history, gender having two unique forms was an accepted, observable fact.

But the woke aren’t fans of acknowledging that gender is binary. Hence, their desire to change the Spanish language with terms such as “Latinx.”

Hispanic Americans aren’t buying it. Forty percent find “Latinx” personally bothersome or offensive.

Think about what’s going on here. A dominant culture is attempting to redefine the language of a minority group. In most other contexts, progressives would decry this as cultural appropriation, especially when so many Hispanics find the term personally offensive.

It’s certainly a better example of cultural appropriation than a white girl wearing a traditional Chinese dress to her prom. Yet, it’s that event that generated national stories about cultural appropriation.

This poll has significant political ramifications, too. The obvious takeaway is that Hispanic voters don’t thinking pushing the use of “Latinx” is a priority. Even some Democrats, such as Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., are speaking out.

“When Latino politicos use the term (Latinx) it is largely to appease white rich progressives who think that is the term we use,” Gallego, who describes himself as a “proud progressive” on his website, tweeted. “It is a vicious circle of confirmation bias.”

The key point isn’t about the use of the term Latinx, per se. It’s that using that term reveals a disconnect between the priorities of the speaker and Hispanic voters.

That gives Republicans, especially in Nevada, a much-needed opportunity. The conservative agenda — a growing economy, parental choice in education, pro-life — has a natural appeal to many Hispanic voters.

Latino voters have been increasing their support for Republicans, too. Post-election analysis found Trump made significant gains in Hispanic communities in 2020. Last month, the Republican candidate in a Texas state House race won in a district that’s 73 percent Hispanic and went for Biden by 14 points.

If Democrats keep pushing “Latinx” messaging, they may soon discover Latino voters prefer Republicans.

Contact Victor Joecks at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4698. Follow @victorjoecks on Twitter.