Latinx
adj/n
Adjective - An all-inclusive term used to describe those of Latin American descent.
Noun - The group of people who descend from Latin America
This fall, Detroit Cristo Rey High School celebrated Latinx heritage with food, stories of prominent Latinx people, and cultural celebrations.
What does it mean to be Latinx? Is it the color of your skin, or the way you roll your r’s? Is it the gender you were born as but now choose not to identify with? Could it perhaps be the languages you speak, or the places where you’ve been?
The answer to all of these questions is simple: no. As a red-haired, pale-skinned Mexican girl, I can confidently say that you do not have to fall into a certain category of looks or qualities in order to be deemed a true Latinx person. To be Latinx is to be a person of Latin American descent, and that is simply all that you have to be. Forget the stereotypical appearances, the gender-specific roles, and overall, forget the discrimination.
We are becoming much more welcoming, and closer-knit, like the scarves made by our abuelas. We are a people of warmth, but also of deeply implemented rules, so to be accepting of one another despite our differences would be the start of something amazing.
But remember, the term Latinx is not only for the use of the Latinx people themselves. All of us seeking equality must remember what the word is truly being used for, and that is to be fair, and to be human. The word itself is a sign of equality, and of not putting one group before the other, but instead, being one as a people.
