5 Misconceptions about Latinos
Every culture has its own traditions and customs which shape the way people behave. Have you ever stared at a person and sensed a Latino vibe but you weren’t sure? There are a lot of misconceptions and erroneous stereotypes surrounding the Latino community, however at the same time there are things that are not so far away from the truth. Here are five things that might have popped into your mind when hearing the word Latino.
So, let’s gets started…
Numero uno: They are always late
Many people blame Latinos of being late all the time and immediately know that these friends would be the last ones to show up anywhere. Of course, there are exceptions, but most of the time this is true our inner clocks don’t work the same way as many individuals and this is a cultural thing. A party that starts at 10 usually means that you should be there at 11 or 12 so if you are constantly getting angry with your Latino friends for being late just hang in there.
Numero dos: They are really emotional and passionate
Usually Latinos are really expressive people and are not afraid to speak their mind. However, telenovelas are not a realistic representation of the Latino community so if you are using that to get a mental picture of how a Latino should act don’t. I assure you telenovelas is the exaggerated representation of the things that wouldn’t happen in our daily life. Yet they are really exciting to watch, if you haven’t you definitely should!
Numero tres: They are expected to be very good at dancing
When people know you are a Latino they immediately assume you are a great salsa dancer or an expert in dancing reggaeton. Dancing is really an important part of the Latin-American culture as music has been present the daily life of the majority since they were born.
Numero quarto: They must be from Mexico
Most people would immediately assume that someone that is a Latino is Mexican. I can assure you that any Latino will be called Mexican at some point in their lives, somehow these two words have become synonyms of each other. But this is wrong and usually would get the person really annoyed, so if you meet a Latino please keep in mind that Mexico is not the only country in Latin America think about Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, El Salvador.
Numero cinco: They all look the same
Usually most people think that Latinos have brown hair, brown eyes and a brownish skin and that they look really similar to each other. However, with so many Latin countries all over the world it is impossible to generalize. Sometimes you will get a very big surprise with the diversity of individuals who are in the Latino community and the person you would least expect can be in fact part of it.
Written by Fiorella Morales – PR Committee