Recent reporting and polling has indicated that the gender-neutral term “Latinx” isn’t that popular among Hispanics and its use may be limited to elite institutions.
“The reality is, there is very little to no support for its use, and it’s sort of seen as something used inside the Beltway or in Ivy League tower settings,” League of United Latin American Citizens President Domingo García reportedly said.
Pedestrians walk down a path on the Yale University campus in New Haven, Connecticut. (Craig Warga/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Miami Herald similarly argued the term “failed to gain buy-in from the people it’s supposed to empower,” raising questions about why it has become so prevalent in the media, politics and elite institutions.
Elite universities, among others, have been employing the word to describe a wide range of activities – including courses of study, events and campus groups.
Columbia University’s engineering college features a “Latinx Heritage Month” student group, as well as a “Latinx and Latin American Faculty Working Group.” The University of Chicago also has a “Latinx Law Students Association” featured on its website, in addition to noting a “Latinx Heritage Month Committee.”
While Cornell University offers a “Latino Studies Program,” it has also advertised a “Latinx Town Hall” to gauge interest in the major. At Stanford, the university similarly seems to use Latinx interchangeably with other terms. In describing its “Latinx Ethnic-Theme House,” its website says the theme “creates a common bond for all residents—Latino and non-Latino alike—that fosters cross-cultural understanding and creates outstanding learning opportunities.”
Sam Dorman is a reporter with Fox News. You can send tips on Twitter @DormanInDC or Facebook at SamDormanFoxNews.
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