Outside a handful of liberal art college students who want to make "LatinX" a thing, I can't name a single person who would consider the word "Latino" outdated. (Interestingly enough, LULAC recently decided to drop the word "LatinX" because it was extremely disliked by actual Latinos).
Yes, LatinX seems to be dominant among progressive non-Hispanics. A few days ago, I heard Elizabeth Warren using the term, but the vast majority of Hispanics I know either dislike the term or find it irrelevant. Those who use it seem, mostly, to be "covering the bases" in today's environment.
My understanding is that "Latino" doesn't describe a race, but rather a group of people from South and Central America who use a certain group of languages. Unless I am missing something, there's absolutely nothing controversial about that.
"Latino" covers all persons whose heritage or culture comes from Spain or Portugal. "Latin" means anyone from nations and areas that were part of the Roman Empire and which today use a language based on Latin... French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, etc.
Brazilians are "Latinos". On the other hand, "Hispanics" are just from the nations or areas where the main language is or was Spanish. The OMB and the Bureau of the Census came up with the term in the 70's to meet new legal requirements; the Census before that did hot break out Latino or anything like that and nearly all were classified as "white".
This purely USA-based confusion is why many prefer to identify by their area or nation of origin. Puerto Ricans will generally identify as being Puerto Ricans, not as being Latinos or Hispanic. It's a matter of pride and identity. (I managed, consulted or programmed the #1 station in PR for about 47 of the last 50 years, so I have somewhat of a clue about that)
If you're suggesting that the name has the potential to become problematic, then I fail to see how.
It's just not the preferred way of self-identification today. Just as "Negro" is no longer preferred by African Americans. Yet you will find many who still use the terms "Latino" and "Negro", generally older folks. What I am saying is that in radio, there are better ways to bond with the group identity.
That's a false equivalency. "Latino" doesn't describe a race or a skin tone. Furthermore, "Negro" may be acceptable in some countries, but in others (like Mexico) it isn't seen as a term of endearment.
The "Hispanic" question on the US Census is separate from the race issue. And it is "Are you Hispanic or Latino or one of the following..." with a whole bunch of nation or identity specifics (Mexican, Chicano, Tejano, Cuban, "Other").
Of course, "negro" in Spanish means "black" whether it is the color of a limo or a skin tone. In English, "Negro" specifies a race. The words are used differently. At KKHJ in LA in the 90's we had a jock from the Dominican Republic who called himself "El Negrito de la Buena Suerte" or "The Lucky Blackie" on the air... and still does on his LPFM in the OC. As I said, the perceptions are different because the racial term "Negro" from English is not directly translated to Spanish.
"Latino" doesn't have this issue. No one finds it offensive. At worst, they may reject the term and embrace being called something more specific (no different than Texans who prefer to be called "Texan" over "American").
A lot different. Texans don't have a foreign heritage... "Texan" is a way of being separate from the nation as a whole. "Puerto Rican" is an identity that establishes a totally different culture.
I stand by my belief that the name was no more obsolete than "KRBE" or "News Talk 740, KTRH". This notion that "Latino" could become problematic like "Aunt Jemima" or "Master Bedroom" seems like a massive stretch.
That is not what research said. And among those under 40, the distinction was even more outstanding.
Any "Latinos" care to chime in?
As I said, one of my daughters... who lives and practices law in Houston... has a T-Shirt that says "Not Latin. Not Hispanic. Puerto Rican". She says that many ask her where to get ones that say "Mexican" or "Venezuelan" or some other nationality and that nobody has found it distasteful except ornery gringos.