Are you Latina enough?

You don't speak Spanish well. 

Spanglish. Yup, That's me.

I have to explain to Mexican strangers that I don't speak it however, when needed and put on the spot, I can have a conversation not only by nodding and saying "Si". According to a report by the pew Hispanic Center, 69% of third generation Latinos describe themselves as English dominant and only 29% claim to be fully bilingual. 

You don't look Latina.

There are misconceptions of how Latina's are supposed to look. Everyone places me in the "mixed" category. I always get the "What are you?". I have them guess and they say I'm either; Asian, Black, White, Hawaiian, Indian, Italian or mixed with one or all of the above making me look "exotic." Truth be told, I'm just plain Latina American... Spanish from my grandparents and ancestors. Not Mexican.

You don't act Latina.

31% of college age Latinas enrolled in college and moving out of urban areas, authenticity can be challenged. When I was enrolling in college at age 17, I was amongst the few Latina's. I wasn't the stereotype everyone put me out there to be. I rose above it and proved my determination meant more to me than being placed in a category.

12 Words People Need to Stop

Using to Describe Latina's

1. Spicy/Saucy/Feisty
Can a Latina woman bitch or complain about something all normal humans complain about without being called "spicy" or "feisty?"Without us being stereotyped the same, because we're NOT!
2. Hot-Blooded or Caliente
As opposed to what, being cold? Jennifer Lopez's blood and body temperature is pretty much the same as, Jennifer Aniston’s, so why call her or any one of us caliente?
3. Hot Tamale
As delicious as tamales are, it's hard to take being compared to one as a compliment. Did you just call me a banana-wrapped corn meal and meat dish?
4. Fertile
Because Latina's are the only women in the world having babies, right? Except that we're not. If we were the only ones having babesss, then we'd all be Latino, duh! But that's not the case.
5. Muy Sexy
Congratulations, you managed to objectify Latina's in two languages. High cinco!
6. Lazy
This word has been used to devalue countless ethnic and racial groups throughout history. Using it as an insult or to describe a group of people whom you know nothing about it. I graduated college with two children, three times; Associates, Bachelor's and Master's Degree's. Yup. Get it right. That's definitely not lazy.
7. Exotic
Because the "exotic" look people usually think of is Adriana Lima or a Latina woman who looks different from all the rest. I get that we look different, but I believe all women look different in their own beautiful ways.
8. Curvy
I once overheard a man say that he likes Latin women because they're so "bootiful," which I'm guessing meant curvy. Um no... not all Latina's are curvy but we do tan easily.
9. Spanish
For the last time most Latinos do not speak Spanish! Sure, SOME of us speak Spanish (bilingual), some of us even have Spanish last names, but most of us were not born in Spain or Mexico, so we are not technically Spanish or Mexican.
10. Immigrants
Here's a helpful rule of thumb: Not all Latinos are immigrants and not all immigrants are Latino.
11. Illegal
No person is illegal. The politically correct term is "undocumented," and even then, I'd suggest that you call a person by their name, not by the status of their papers.
12. JLo
You guys, JLo is a person, not an adjective.  This seems like a given, but as a Latina woman with similar features, I've actually been described as "a JLo." What does that even mean?