‘Latinx’ and the Debate Around Gender-Neutral Language

The Pulse nightclub sign is pictured in Orlando, Fla., on June 21, 2016, following the mass shooting that took place the previous week. The event was supposedly a catalyst for the popularization of the term "Latinx." Carlo Allegri/Reuters

Commentary

“My Word“ was a public radio quiz show decades ago that deliberated word meanings and word origins. When a question stumped contestants, audiences could anticipate a clever response in the form of a “feghoot,” a lighthearted vignette ending in a pun. The responses, though entertaining, were always bogus. Fake or not, it didn’t matter. It was just pretend.