Why are Puerto Rican and some other non mexican-spanish speakers offended by being called Mexican, even if....

Question

I worked with a Puerto Rican lady and I knew she spoke spanish, but wasn't sure of her nationality, so in conversation once, I referred to her as mexican (not meaning any harm or offense) and she quickly corrected me and looked kind of offended. She is not the first person I have seen to react like that? What is the deal?

Answer 1

No race wants to be called another race.

Answer 2

Its possible some people can be offended but for the most I would say they are annoyed that they are being generalized as the majority ethnic group-Mexican and they get tired of it. All ethnic groups want to be recognized for who they are.
Just the the other person said that answered you, if you are a White person, do we assume you are German or Scottish descent?
Asian people get stereotyped a lot too. They are always thought of as Chinese or Janpense but there are Laotians, Hmong, Vietnemase, etc..
But if you are back East and Hispanic I would think you are Puerto Rican, Cuban, or Columbain. If you are back in the West I would assume you are Mexican before Puerto Rican. But never just assume. You can piss somebody off..................

Answer 3

OK I'll answer this... Ever since I was little someone has asked me if I was Mexican, Puerto Rican, Brazilian, or Dominican... Am I Mexican? No! I'm a Salvadoran.... Do people realize that Mexico is just ONE country out of THE WHOLE BOTTOM HALF OF THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE???
Do you walk up to some random Black person and say, "Hello? Are you Ugandan?" No! Do you walk up to an Asian person and say, "Hello? Are you Chinese?" NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! There are over 20 HISPANIC COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD THAT ARE NOT MEXICO!

I got carried away but I hate it when people forget that Latino population does NOT ALL COME FROM MEXICO!

Answer 4

I don't know but I am offended as a Mexican that we are even confused with Caribbean Negroids like Puerto Ricans or Dominicans. i just think it is ignorant because or phenotypes & admixtures are so different.

Mexicans are from Latin America and Latin America. Mexico is the head of Latin America.

Puerto Ricans are from the Caribbean and they are not even the head of the Hispanic Caribbeans.

Answer 5

The deal is that she is not Mexican.
If a persons ethnicity matters enough for you to mention it; then it should matter enough for you to ask and get it right.

Spanish is the most widely spoken language in the world. You make an *** of yourself when you call someone mexican, just because they speak spanish. That's why they look at you "funny".

Answer 6

Because Puerto Rico isn't part of Mexico. Puerto Rico is its own country, same with Mexico. Wouldn't you be a little offended if someone assumed something incorrect about your nationality based soley on the language you spoke?

Answer 7

I think that they are offended because spanish people have a bigger and more important past than the mexicans and the mexicans are a combination of spanish and another nationality so they are like some gipsies.

Answer 8

Because not all are Mexican. It's like referring to all white people as hillbillies or rednecks.

Answer 9

shes a different nationality.. and shes proud! its kind of like a person calling an american a canadian. you speak the same language but you come from a different country.

Answer 10

because that's racist,cause most people seem 2 think the only real hispanics are mexicans,but it's not true

Answer 11

if you spoke with a Puerto/rican, i answer in spanish. yo creo que ella es criada en EU o con Mexicanos, es una puertorra de nacimiento, pero no del alma, no se crio en PR, asi que si quieres conocer un puertorriqueno de verdad, ve a la isla y conoceras los verdaderos puertorros. yo viví toda mi vida en PR, llevo solo 3 meses en Pennsylvania, y los que DICEN SER de PR no son ni una fraccion de lo que en verdad los puertorriquenos somos. BORICUA DE CORAZON!!! WEEEEEEPAAAAA!!!!