This past Saturday, I went with several Spanish class students to see the bilingual play Los Secretos de Santa Mónica in Chicago. After the show, the directors and actors held a Q&A session. One woman in the audience got up and asked if growing up Latino had any impact on the actors’ pursuit of the performing arts. She prefaced the question with, “I’m not trying to be discriminatory,” because there was one white, non-Latino actor on the stage and she was only interested in the Latino actors’ answers.
This was fine, because the woman was interested in seeing if there was a connection between Latino identity and acting. What was not fine however, was that on two separate occasions the woman assumed that one of the two white-skinned men on stage was not Latino. She cut him off before he could answer. In truth, the white-skinned actor was actually Peruvian-American, so he was qualified to answer her question. The actor did not have the stereotypical “Latino look” but he made several references throughout the session (and it was written in the playbill) that he was Latino.
This incident brought up a host of memories from my past – I’m Ecuadorian-American – and made me think about the misconceptions that surround Hispanic identity. I have been asked to clarify these misconceptions before, so I thought I should do it once more on a wider scale. Without further ado, ¡Vámonos!
Myth #1: Hispanic = Latino
Hispanic and Latino are often used interchangeably, making many assume that the words are perfectly synonymous. They are definitely related, but they cannot always be swapped. A person is Hispanic if their ancestry traces back to Hispania, or (broadly speaking) Spain. Hispanic people include the Spanish and some of those from the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America. Brazilians are not considered Hispanic because they were conquered by the Portuguese and their main language is Portuguese. However, Brazilians are Latinos because they live in/are from Latin America (Central and South America and the Caribbean). Just like Brazilians aren’t Hispanic, Spaniards aren’t Latino. If this seems confusing, just remember this: all Latinos are Hispanic but not all Hispanics are Latinos. The Venn diagram above should also help.
Myth #2: Hispanic is a race
Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity. Since most Hispanics are racially mixed, it is impossible to regard them as one race. Hispanic people can be completely white, Black, Asian, Native North/South American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander or any combination of these. When a person says they are Hispanic, they are cluing you in on their broader ethnicity and not their race. The racial diversity that is present in the Hispanic community is why a white, Black or Asian-passing person is just as Hispanic as the person who “fits” the description with tan skin and dark hair and eyes. This racial diversity is also why it’s wrong to assume one’s racial and ethnic identity solely based on their physical appearance. Also, “Hispanicness” does not come in degrees like one’s race would because it has more to do with cultural upbringing than physical appearance. Unlike a given race, a person cannot be 25% or 50% Hispanic; they are either 0% or 100%.
Myth #3: All Hispanic people speak Spanish
Aside from a Hispanic person wanting to learn a language outside of their cultural heritage, Hispanic people generally speak Spanish, English or their native languages. It is erroneous to assume that all Hispanics speak Spanish, especially in the US. An increasing number of Hispanic youth speak English as their primary language. Some know Spanish fluently, others only speak it conversationally, and still others know little to no Spanish. While speaking Spanish can be a source of pride for some, its total control on the definition of Hispanic seems to be lessening over time.
The misconceptions surrounding Hispanic identity are many, but the preceding topics address some of the most prominent. Understanding the basics of Hispanic identity doesn’t require a major in Latino Studies, but I can assure you that your Hispanic friends will appreciate you having a better understanding of their cultures and identities.
XOXO, HCND
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