Preferred Panethnic Terms Among Latina/o and Hispanic Sexual and Gender Minority People

Latino and Hispanic individuals in the US represent a diverse and growing population, including a significant number of sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals whose identities challenge the use of a single panethnic (ie, ethnicity) label. Little is known about SGM individuals' preferences for panethnic terms.

To understand Latino and Hispanic SGM individuals' preferences and rationales for panethnic terms.

This cross-sectional study used survey data from SGM-identifying Latino and Hispanic adults in The PRIDE Study, an online, community-engaged cohort of SGM adults in the US completing 2021 or 2022 annual questionnaires, with qualitative analysis of an open-ended question asked to a subset about their preferred panethnic identification. Data analysis was conducted from June 2023 to November 2025.

Survey responses for preferred panethnic terms and associated rationales.

Of 530 eligible participants, 517 reported their preferred panethnic term, and 376 provided their rationale. Among those who reported their panethnic term preferences, the median (IQR) age was 29.6 (24.2-40.5) years, among whom 253 (48.9%) identified as Mexican or Mexican American, 149 (28.8%) were gender diverse, 305 (59.0%) received a 4-year degree or higher, and 45 (8.7%) were born outside the US. Latina and Latino were the most preferred panethnic terms among 154 participants (29.8%), followed by Hispanic (126 participants [24.4%]), Latinx (86 participants [16.6%]), and Latine (47 participants [9.1%]) with others less commonly selected. A total of 59 (11.4%) selected another term or provided a write-in response for their panethnic identification. Six themes were identified in thematic analysis that reflected how preferred panethnic terms were shaped: (1) aligning with cultural norms, (2) influence of ethnoracial identity, (3) affirmation of gender and ethnicity, (4) linguistic and sociopolitical contexts, (5) delineating between Latin American and Spanish ancestry, and (6) cultural disconnection with origin group.

In this cross-sectional study with a qualitative analysis of an open-ended question, there was no clear consensus on preferred panethnic terms, and participants' rationales indicated that personal, cultural, and linguistic factors related to identity and belonging influenced their preferences. Using panethnic terms in research, community engagement, and communication should be culturally relevant and context-specific.