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() — “Latinx” is a relatively new, gender-neutral alternative to Latino or Latina, but most Latinos prefer not to be identified by the new term.
The word has been considered helpful in supporting people who do not identify as either male or female, according to the word’s backers.
However, Hispanic lawmakers in Connecticut want to ban the word from all government documents, calling it offensive to Spanish speakers.
State Rep. Geraldo Reyes Jr. of Waterbury, the bill’s chief sponsor and one of five Hispanic Democrats who put their names on the legislation, said Latinx is not a Spanish word but is rather a “woke” term that is offensive to Connecticut’s large Puerto Rican population.
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“For a long time, we’ve not appreciated the word and really don’t use it,” Reyes told host Dan Abrams on Friday. “We find it very offensive.”
Last month, Arkansas banned government officials from using Latinx on formal documents as part of several orders issued by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders within hours of her taking office.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
