Then we clearly are from different countries.


This.

And? You stated this in your very first post.

This is an interesting and informative discussion. :)

When it comes to categories and self-identity, there is caution in labeling those who identify differently as lacking consciousness or being culturally unaware. As has been noted in this thread, these acceptable or unacceptable identities are socially constructed and therefore vary by context.

I liken it to the ongoing issue of Black "versus" African American that has existed for generations. There are those who identify as Black and there are those who identify as African American. There are also those who identify as both and neither. Identifying or not has implications for not just yourself but also for your group identity and representation where such categorical distinctions are "needed."

I acknowledge and identify as both Black and African American (and as a part of the African Diaspora that spans across countries and continents) and fully know the history and relevance of both. And I say "fuck off" to those who think they can question anyone's level of awareness and consciousness based on that.

I am sorry I have always had problems with this kind of mentality. I personally do not see a difference between being called Hispanic or Latina. I know that there may be historical difference, but that is about the origin of the word. As you can see most people don't even know the difference and don't mean any harm when they say one or the other. I am both and I am neither... I am a person! Why do we always have to attach a label to people?

I thought the point of this discourse was to show that it's about self-identification, not about what others said.

It is but I just had to say something about LatinaAlumna's post
It is one of my biggest pet peeves. No matter what the person identifies as, no one else should say what the person is or is not.

Somewhat off topic but anyway-

When I moved to the South West U.S. I started hearing the term Anglo being used to describe white people, which I hadn't really heard before growing up in MI. I was used to being referred to as white, or caucasian but never Anglo. I'm used to it now but it did annoy me at first because even though I have "white" skin I'M NOT ANGLO.

And you being a person isn't minimized by being both or neither. ;)

I don't call it a "label" because that pretends as though it is imaginary, irrelevant, and would just go away if people chose to ignore its existence. Also, the word "label" implies some stigma associated with it.

As for why humans use groups and categories, it has been happening across societies forever and ever. It is how humans make sense of the similarities and differences among us. It is how humans make sense of this complex social world based on group dynamics and shared physical and cultural traits. This happens with gender and every other instance where being individuals does not suffice. Afterall, we're always told that we aren't just individuals going through life all by ourselves.

And just to get off on another tangent, there's capitalization or lack thereof: Andre Braugher is Black or Andre Braugher is black.

One reason why Black with a capital "b" is used is to symbolize empowerment. I always capitalize Black when it deals with race and ethnicity. In many personal and professional environments, people are corrected if they do not capitalize Black.

I agreed with his statement on what he says he is. I think you are upset because my definition of his self-selected label is a negative one. I'm not going to apologize for that.

People can call themselves whatever they want, but it doesn't mean that others need to have a positive view of what they choose. As someone else said, words can mean very different things depending on the context. You might want to look into why the word has taken on a different meaning to different people, instead of just saying "I don't really know the difference, but it sounds mean so I'm still going to complain at that girl for saying it!" :)

;) But you didn't just express your personal view of the general topic and your own personal preferences. You didn't initially provide the context. You started off with your assessment of him.

Like I said when it pertains to Black/African American/any other African Diasporic identity, if someone were to tell me "yes, I'd say you are definitely (insert identity they disagree with). Maybe one day you will learn enough to become (insert identity they agree with)," it wouldn't just be about that person's opinion of the general topic and how they identify. They'd be coming at me directly. And I'd tell that person to "fuck off."

It's true, I could have explained why I made that comment toward JohnnyCash in the initial post, but I didn't. If he/she wants to come back and tell me to "f-off" I will hear him/her out. It's still not going to change the fact that where I live, work, and in the circles I run in, the word "Hispanic" is negative and people who call themselves "Hispanic" are not very well received (putting it mildly). It's not going to change the fact that some of the posts by this person served as further evidence in my mind as to why this person thinks he/she is "Hispanic" versus "Latino" (which is what prompted my post, but I do understand that not everyone would understand where I was coming from).

In my mind, I feel that being identified as Hispanic, either on your own account or by others, shows ignorance or lack of awareness. If a non-Latino refers to myself or someone else as Hispanic I just give them the benefit of the doubt that they are most likely not aware. However, if someone who is Latino/Non-Spaniard (not from Spain) uses 'Hispanic' they come across as culturally uneducated and that is not very respectable.

As far as labeling and stigmatizing, this is going to happen in all societies. We, as human beings, are going to receive and give labels to one another because that is our judgmental nature, sadly. In my opinion, I would rather label myself and identify myself, in an informed manner of course, before I allow the labels others give to me to stick. We cannot pretend that we do not make judgments about others, at least in our own minds.

Why?