Do Latinos “flaunt” their culture?

by Daniel Cubias

Yes, you’ve heard the code phrases.

People often disguise their prejudices by explaining that they’re not filled with fear or hatred toward a particular group; it’s just that they want that group to act, you know, more “normal.” In this context, “normal” means avoiding any behaviors that indicate different perspectives from the majority culture.

For example, we hear a lot about Latino immigrants assimilating. As I’ve written before, this can be an admirable goal…or it can imply that something is fundamentally wrong with Latino culture.

More than anything, Latinos are not to flaunt their ethnic identity. There are, of course, a host of behaviors that draw attention to a Latino identity. Potential offensive behaviors include everything from speaking Spanish in public to bringing up the complexities of Latino healthcare.

At such moments — whether it’s wearing a shirt that says, “Chicano pride” or blaring reggaeton from one’s car — somebody will dismiss the behavior with the sentiment “Stop that. You’re in America now.”

The gist is that our post-racial society has no room for such displays, and that all Americans must set aside their ethnic differences in the pursuit of unity. However, it’s interesting to note how strictly this standard is applied across cultures.

For example, shamrock tattoos on white Boston residents are hardly obscure or mystifying sights. These are indicators of Irish pride. But I can’t imagine anyone saying, “Cover that up. It’s un-American.”

Similarly, the Italian Americans of Jersey Shore don’t exactly hide their ethnic identity. In fact, they positively revel in it, and millions of Americans (for truly inexplicable reasons) love to watch them do so.

These individuals feel free to employ cultural markers, and there is no backlash that they are being exclusionary. However, a Latino with a Virgin de Guadalupe decal on his car is apparently a separatist.

I will leave it to you to figure out what Irish Americans and Italian Americans have in common, and how that differs from Latino Americans.

The double standard reminds me of how people cover their homophobia: “Gays are fine, as long as they don’t flaunt it.” Of course, this means that straight people can make out in public, but lesbians can’t hold hands while walking down the street.

In both cases, a group that differs from the majority culture is told, none too subtly, that its members are not acting “normal.” However, it’s worth questioning what constitutes this normalcy and who gets to decide it.

Regardless, it is clear that for the foreseeable future, those of you who act Latino in public are just showing off how you’re different.

Damn, I hope you can live with yourself.

To learn more about Daniel, visit Hispanic Fanatic.

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those
of the author and should not be understood to be shared by Being Latino, Inc.

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