Latino Is Not a Race: Stereotypes That Should Go Away

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Latinos are tired of hearing different false assumptions about the Latino community that continue to harm its members according to a recently published article.

Some stereotypes falsely represent the Latino community. There are many assumptions also about the Latino community that is hard to shake off. And no matter how the Latino community proves that these stereotypes are all false, it seems that it has already stuck around.

Remember that not all Latinos are the same. They are comprised of people coming from different origins with different beliefs and practices. Hence, it is not good to stereotype Latinos. Most of all, Latino is not a race.

Here are some of the common stereotypes that should go away according to a recently published article:

1. Latinas are "Spicy" Curvy Sexpots, and All Latinos are "Latin Lovers"

Describing a Latina as "spicy" is a red flag. Latinas are people, and they are not a sauce or food. People around use the word "Spicy" to describe Latinas' appearance, attitude, and bad-temper. Another thing is "Curvy Sexpots," which is also false. Remember that Latinas do not have the same size and shape.

When it comes to Latin lovers, not all Latinos are good looking, sexy, sexual, have thick accents, and spend their time winning the heart of women.

2. Latinas do not know how to control their temper

Latinas are most of the time described as loud, hot-tempered, and volatile, and these make them appear emotionally and mentally unstable. While Latinos are often described as domestic abusers and individuals who quickly get into fistfights, it's very unfair to describe Latinas and Latinos in these ways because these negative associations are very harmful to the community.

3. Latinos are mainly janitors, maids, and gardeners

Nothing is wrong with being a janitor, a maid, or a gardener because it's a decent job. However, Latinos and Latinas are sometimes stereotyped as having only these jobs. Some Latinos and Latinas are lawyers, doctors, artists, journalists, and many other lines of work. 

4. All Latinos look the same

First, Latino is not a race, which means that anyone can be a Latino even if they come from different races. What the community is pushing and stereotyped is that Latinos are with dark hair, dark eyes, and brown skin. It is for this reason that Jennifer Lopez and Salma Hayek need to defend their identity when they shouldn't have to.

5. Latino's intelligence is judged based on competency in English

Not because many cannot speak English fluently, then that person already lacks intelligence. Speaking English is not natural, but Latinos and Latinas' intelligence should not be judged just because of the lack of English fluency. Remember that they might not be speaking the English language fluently, but they are very fluent in their native language. 

6. All Latinos have a limited education

Although there might be a significant number of Latinos who were not able to pursue higher education due to financial problems, however, it is important to note that 28 percent of the Latinos in the United States have earned an associate degree or higher. There are also nearly 3 million Latinos who are currently enrolled in college in the country.

Read related article: Latino vs. Hispanic: What's the Difference?