Latinos

Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Times reported on the hottest new marketing demographic for the personal care industry: Latino men. Considering that Hispanics are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States, it isn't surprising that brands and advertisers had already begun courting Latina women's purchasing preferences. The men's habits, however, seemed like more of a lesson in social studies than in product development.

Last year a Latina friend of mine who’s unhappily single outlined what she’s looking for in a mate. She wants a man who’s college-educated, socially conscious, speaks Spanish and is Latino. "It’s not that I’m against interracial dating or anything," she explained self-consciously. You see, I’m in an interracial relationship, and she didn’t want to offend me.

I'd be remiss to begin a blog on the intersection of race, gender and pop culture without mentioning that, in reading various other blogs on all three topics, I’ve kept happening upon the same complaint: that pop culture and many feminist publications often exclude or oversee the unique perspectives offered by women who aren't white. So this blog, then, is a group effort, with your comments and experiences forming an integral part in fostering a thoughtful and inclusive discussion on feminism.