Comments on: A Minority Within A Minority

By: Ivette López

Ivette López — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 20:09:21 +0000

Erika,
Thank you for your comment and sorry for the delay in responding. You bring up an excellent point in regards to reaching our community. The use of Hispanic vs. Latino (a) is always a pressing issue. As marketers continue to reach out to Hispanic communities, we advise to use both terms interchangeably.
The issue is so “hot”, that several studies have been conducted around it. To summarize, and to your point, Erika, “Hispanic” is a term that does relate to being of Spanish descent, but it also relates to being from a place “de habla Hispana,” or to loosely translate, a place where the primary language is Spanish. In the same light, the terms Latino and Latina, do relate to being from a Latin American country and also from a place where the primary language is a Latin-rooted language. To further complicate things, this could mean that Italians are Latinos, because the Italian language is Latin based. And, as if that isn’t enough, you will note the term “Hispanic” does not assign a gender role, like Latino(a) does. The term follows the English language rules. Perhaps I do favor the term “Hispanic” more than “Latino.” I will do my best to use them equally.
Anyway, I digress. This is one of the challenges that come with categorizing a demographic of this size. Most research respondents would prefer to be addressed as 1) country of origin, followed by 2) Hispanic and finally 3) Latino(a), but with more than 22 countries (and many more dialects) being represented, we default to Latino(a) and Hispanic.
Perhaps this is a trend in development. We may see an increasing disconnect from Spain amongst U.S. Latinos and Latinas. It’s a very interesting topic.
I have posted some of the research links below and welcome further dialogue in this interesting issue. Thank you again, I look forward to your future comments.
Saludos,
Ivette
LatinoStories.com on a research study conducted by Hispanic Trends, Inc.,: http://latinostories.com/Brown_Latino_Literature_Project/Essays/Hispanic_Versus_Latino.htm
Good background and history on the terms: http://www.soaw.org/article.php?id=830
The PEW Hispanic center also features great data on the topic: http://pewhispanic.org/

By: Erika

Erika — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 18:19:30 +0000

I find the use of the word Hispanic jarring and offensive in this article. Yes, I’m Latina, but I’m not of Spanish descent. So I guess I don’t qualify as “Hispanic” and queer.
Way to marginalize the margins of society even more by ignoring the basics such as how they prefer to be identified. Notice how ALLGO and LLEGO use Latino/a? There’s a reason.

By: andy

andy — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 13:05:16 +0000

A very thoughtful article on the life of the hispanic g&l community. Made me want to read further blogs on this site

By: Duane Brown

Duane Brown — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 10:47:46 +0000

All I’ve to say is WOW. I’m from Canada and I never know that the Hispanics community was that large, I knew they were large but not that large. Welcome aboard Ivette, I look forward to reading your thoughts as we go.
As a young (24), gay black Canadian, I know all about marketing to a minority within a minority. Lately targetting the gay, black community has been a bigger issue up here, especially with black people getting the idea that being gay and black is ok. Using the media we watch, listen to and read as a way to reach us is becoming second nature. I think you hit the nail on the head with all those aspects that need to be looked at in order to reach ths large community. Not it just needs to be done.
P.S. Ivette, if you know any cute Hispanics guys who want a Canadian. You just send them up here, we’ll welcome them with open arms…. lol!