Sotomayor Fans Claim the Phrase ‘Wise Latina’

[Liberal_in_LA]

Sotomayor Fans Claim the Phrase ‘Wise Latina’

By MIREYA NAVARRO
Published: August 7, 2009



THE phrase by itself was a compliment.

Then it became a term of derision for some political commentators, bloggers and senators.

And now, “Wise Latina” is a catchphrase emblazoned on T-shirts, mugs and baby bibs, and a moniker for any number of new Facebook groups.

The author, Sonia Sotomayor, who on Thursday was confirmed as the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice, may have distanced herself from the term at her confirmation hearings, but other Latinas are running with it, adopting it as a rallying cry and wearing it as a badge of pride.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/fashion/09latina.html

John H. McWhorter, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research who is a linguist and a frequent commentator about race, said words or phrases often become part of a group’s vernacular when they enable people to assert themselves, reclaim a slur or redress an offense, as in the ownership of the word “bitch” among educated women or “thug” among young African-Americans.

“One thing that helps something catch on is the perception of an enemy outside,” he said. “It’s pride, but pride born in opposition.”

“ ‘Wise Latina’ is not just sticking your chin up,” he added. “It’s a fist in the air.”

[Number23]

1. Que linda!

[EFerrari]

2. Thank goodness we have James H. McWhorter to explain us

to ourselves.

lol

I think I prefer Gorman

[ColbertWatcher]

3. Ha, ha! Cool! k+r, n/t

[MichellesBFF]

4. When I was listening to the radio

And I kept hearing those Republicans talking about her wise LATINO comment, I kept yelling "It's LATINA you idiot!"

[ColbertWatcher]

6. LOL! n/t

[imdjh]

5. This will get funny with time.

As people get pics of women with "wise Latina" t-shirts in situations which don't suggest wisdom in play.