Constructing meaning of the term Latinx: a trioethnography through Pláticas

For this study, the authors engaged in a series of conversations or pláticas to critically examine their understanding and use of the term Latinx. Using ‘trioethnography’ as methodology, the authors’ critical dialogic discussions surfaced new and transformative understandings of the term Latinx. Two questions guided this study: (1) How do we choose to take up the term Latinx in our personal and professional lives? (2) What new understandings and implications of the term occur through our pláticas? The authors identified three themes regarding their use and understanding of Latinx: (1) the institutionalization of the term Latinx with a focus on inclusivity versus performativity; (2) the development of critical consciousness and liminality around the term; and (3) epistemological, theoretical, and practical shifts in understanding of the term.