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Her “slip” on national television is Latinidad in action.
Even in the apology tweet, Black+Afro Latinas aren’t mentioned until the caption: an afterthought.
The purposeful conflation of ethnicity, race, and nationality is exactly what Latinidad is.
Even in the apology tweet, Black+Afro Latinas aren’t mentioned until the caption: an afterthought.
The purposeful conflation of ethnicity, race, and nationality is exactly what Latinidad is.
Look, in LatAm, there would be no question that someone like her is considered “blanca” (regardless of ancestry. Please. REGARDLESS OF ANCESTRY.)
Here, however, she is one of the most important faces of Latinidad. Here, she is “other.”
Here, however, she is one of the most important faces of Latinidad. Here, she is “other.”
That's what Latinidad was built to do. An American construct that makes white people— “blancos”—of Latin America, the face of “other.” Thus erasing communities who are actually systemically marginalized for the very color of their skin.
It purposefully and dangerously de-centers them from conversations about systemic oppression.
Latinidad = White people becoming the face of a metaphorical “Browness,” a romanticized idea of Indigeneity, and a Folklorized notion of Blackness so that the US empire doesn’t have to “deal” with the Black and Indigenous communities is terrorizes.
So it’s not just “she forgot Black Latinas!” Or “she’s pinning Black women and Latinas against each other!” It’s, this is what Latinidad IS.
So why invest in it? Even as a tool for representation? Latinidad was created by the US. It is inherently for a white US gaze...What has the US historically sought to do BUT erase Black life? Latinidad is a tool for erasure. Upholding it will always be Anti-Black.
So we talk about being “better represented” but any performance of Latinidad will ALWAYS be for a white US gaze.
Why not get specific instead? This "Latino" thing is killing people and for what? So that I can pretend my entire life is a can of Bustelo?
Why not get specific instead? This "Latino" thing is killing people and for what? So that I can pretend my entire life is a can of Bustelo?
Bye, Latinidad.
P.S: we’ve been broken up but I’m just reminding you in case you’re trying to slide in my DM’s now that it’s cuffing season.
P.S: we’ve been broken up but I’m just reminding you in case you’re trying to slide in my DM’s now that it’s cuffing season.
