After reading “Identity Terms” the term that most describes me is “Latino,” “Latin American,” “Latina,” “Latino/a,” “Latin@,” “Latinx,” “Chicano,” “Xicano,” “Chicana,” “Chicano/a,” “Chican@,” “Chicanx,” “Mexican American,” “Hispanic.” I arrived in the U.S from the Dominican Republic when I was seven years old. I immediately saw how my identity completely change; Back in the Dominican Republic, our population is not as diverse as the U.S, and coming to the U.S completely change the way I perceive my identity and others. Here in the U.S, my identity went not only from being a Dominican but being Hispanic or Latino; That what people call me. These were terms that I was not exposed back in the Dominican Republic. Also, experience a lot of people confusing my country of origin, saying are you Mexican, Colombian, and sometimes even white. I remember people saying, “you don’t look Dominican because Dominican are of dark complexion; Are you Puerto Rican?”. That’s when I realize that Americans had an stereotypical way of identifying individuals base on how they look.
One of the theories in the “Feminist Philosophy of Language” was “ 2.5 Generics” it really caught my attention. For example “Generic statements are ones such as “cats are furry”, or “a cat has fur”, which are neither universal generalizations (there are furless cats) nor existential generalization (the claim being made is clearly stronger)”. This demonstrate that we as individuals speculate or even categorize individuals or things creating an illusion that because humans have hair all human need to have hair. This exclude those that does not have hair is creating the illusion that everyone need to have hair and if you don’t there is something wrong with you.
Hello Jhulio,
Your discussion post has helped, providing more clarity on Generics theory as I was going through the chapter, I was not more clear about it. The first paragraph clarifies that we all immigrants goes through the same phase. Also, I really believe how we look after the people (in here by Americans) really differs from individual to individual and I would not generalize as a whole. 🙂 I guess I have been to similar experiences like yours but all individuals with a very different perspective so for me, it has been always difficult to idolize American society(Because of difference in people perception).
Hello Jhulio
Thank you for sharing. I completely agree with you at the fact that in this country people have certain speculations as to how someone from a specific country should look like, I have had friends from Dominican Republic who have been mistaken for Puerto rican simply because they were white. I personally have been though the same except that I am Ecuadorian and I am always mistake for being Mexican, people would tell me I don’t look Ecuadorian because most Ecuadorians have a big nose and I don’t or because I am white. Also thank you for sharing your explanation for theory 2.5 since I found it a little confusing this helped a lot.
Hello Jhulio,
Thank you for sharing your feedback. Society depicts Hispanics as one category when it comes to various backgrounds. The president, Trump states all Hispanics are Mexicans. How does that make sense? the assumptions we make about people won’t allow our minds to grow unless you look at different perspectives. Thank you for the clarification on the theory you chose, the way you rephrased the text gives you a better understanding. Basically you summarized because society believes its this way, it should be handled this way and no other way. Thank you I enjoyed reading your response.
Hi jhulio,
We identify ourselves as “black, white, mulatto” because for the world we carry labels. What defines us? the color, our roots, our language, and above all the love for our land. have a vibrant and cheerful attitude about all circumstances, be kind, and very witty. Many people think that coming from Latin America automatically concerns you as an uneducated, disrespectful, vulgar, immature, and ordinary person. In my opinion, all Latinos have a different way of doing things. we are more willing to stay and work hard for ours. we want to win things over and understand that our sacrifice was worth it.
Hello Jhulio,
I am also Hispanic and have heard the same thing you have. When telling people that I am Puerto Rican and Dominican they always tell me “well, your more Puerto Rican right?” When in all reality I have more Dominican blood in my body. It is pretty ignorant for people to tell you who you are based off of stereotypes and what they think you should look like or be like. Just like your example with cats.