Latinx: What is it? What does it mean? Why does this word exist? Is it really necessary?

I've first come across this word about over a month ago on the interwebs while reading my (almost) daily dose of Latino news and at first I thought it was a typo on the word Latino or Latina. Now it has become more common in every article I read. It's intriguing to know that this word exist in the Latin community. Within this short time I've grown accustomed to it and am not in shock when I see it or read it online.

But still...why?

The ever so popular website theflama.com goes in depth as to where the word stems from and why it is used. I suggest you take a gander at it and see what the fuss is about (I read it, it's quite good), but to keep it simple, it is a gender neutral word. Which makes sense now in this age. I mean not everyone wants to be labeled by their gender or abide by what should be the gender norms. Nowadays there are gender neutral bathrooms and fashion. For example, Ellen DeGeneres has a gender neutral clothing line for kids at Gap. Especially now since the transgender movement has been going strong, it's nice to have a word that is non gender specific. Yet for some in the Latinx community, the word itself doesn't sit well.

Grammar time!

So in Spanish vocabulary there are certain words that can be feminine, masculine, or both. Why? I have no clue. I don't make the rules, I just go with it and speak the language. Anyways...there can be two forms of a word. For example the word friend, it can be translated into either amigo (masculine), amiga (feminine), or amigos/amigas. Yet when referring to a mixed gender group it is always amigos, unless referring to a group of all females. Seems confusing I know, but that's just the way the Spanish language works mis amigos! Same goes with Latino(a), instead of just differentiating words for each genderm using the word Latinx makes it simpler.

Rewind to two days ago. I was on Facebook watching a video from Mitú with the word Latinx in the title. Usually after a video I like to read the comments just to see the positive and negative reactions. Turns out more people were interested in the term Latinx than the actual content of the video. Some of those comments turned into debates and arguments over the one word! I would repeat the comments, but it would just end up offending people. In other words some don't believe the word should even exist. But come on, it is kind of easier to use the word latinx instead of always using latino/latina when you don't know who you're referring to in a group. It all comes down to how people want to stick to the grammar rules of Spanish and feel like there's no need to change it.

I like the word latinx. I get a sense of progressiveness when I see it being used. Who cares if it doesn't fit the gender norms of today's Latinx society. I for one would love to see it used more. Its use is growing and whether people like it or not, it's here to stay. So here I am, a Latina who likes the word Latinx.