Why is "mexican" such a bad word?

Question

Why are people so afraid to use the word mexican?
All I hear/see now are "hispanic" or "latino" but never mexican. Sometimes I'll even see mexicans being referred to, incorrectly, as spanish. It's like both people are afraid of using it and mexicans don't like to call themselves that.
What gives?

wtf is a hispanic anyway?
I mean cmon, there's like a billion mexicans, it's obvious they're mexicans.
why don't MEXICANs call themselves mexicans?

Is it cuz mexicans have such a bad image/reputation and it sounds dirty?

Answer 1

Because not all hispanics and latinos have Mexican decent.

Answer 2

Mexican is a totally fine word to use. I say, use it all the time - as appropriate. The reason some people dislike it is because some people call any person that looks like they're of Spanish descent Mexican, and that's where the problem arises. It's like calling every Asian person you see Chinese. But by all means, use the word Mexican, it's a country, and it's some peoples' nationality. People from America don't get angry when you call them Americans - well, normal people anyways, some poeple just look for confilct.

Answer 3

I think one reason may be because alot of people see some one and calls them Mexican when they are not Mexican but of another decent. Some people get offended when people call them Mexican when they aren't Mexican. Which may be why some people use the word Hispanic instead because not as many people get offended. My cousin is Mexican Phillipino and She is proud to be both she considers her self Mexican and sometimes refers to herself as Hispanic. I don't really see alot of it though but hispanic and latino are ethnics and labels like that where Mexican Puerto ricans can fall under but still be Mexican. Like Caucasian people are white but Irish and American and austalian.

Answer 4

Mexicans live in Mexico. There's a difference between Mexicans and Mexican-Americans. People of Spanish-speaking countries, living or born in the U.S., prefer to call themselves Latinos. Also, there are many different Spanish-speaking groups. You don't hear people in the U.S. calling themselves Colombians, Guatemalans, etc. Hispanic refers to people descended from Spain; Latino typically refers to people of Latin American origin, but these two terms have become garbled. Mexican Americans used to be called Chicanos, but that term has lost popularity.

Answer 5

Well, I live in Cali and like almost everyone where I live is mexican (maybe because i live kinda close to mexico) so it's not really a big deal around here to say your mexican but for some reason people at my school seem to hate white people

Oh, and I DO call myself mexican so don't go around saying "Why don't mexicans call themselves mexican?" it's not like you met all of us yet

Answer 6

Same thing what carpe diem said, I would be pissed if someone called me a Mexican. I would be so infuriated because I'm Hispanic and i have no Mexican decent as far as i can track back. they give us Hispanics a bad name out of every Latino.. from South American to Cuban.. Puerto Rican or even Spaniard, They are the worst!.

Answer 7

Maybe because people of Mexican descent are looked down on these days? I suppose it's not fair but it's just another generalization that's out there.
Here's a link sent to me by a "Mexican." It's pretty funny!

Answer 8

Hispanic is a political designation for welfare and Affirmative Action programs. It keeps mexicans voting for Democrats.

Answer 9

Would you call an African-American person African? It's the same thing. I wasn't born in Mexico. I'm a citizen of the United States. Lived here all my life. Mexican-American would be technically correct, but it takes way to long to say, so hispanic, latina, or mexicana will do just fine. People from Mexico, who were born there, they are Mexican. Welcome to the melting pot.

Answer 10

Hispanic is usually for spanish descent and Latino is of latin america. and Mexican can be a general blanket statement.
People get worked up and get mad rather than correct someone and let it roll off.