How #HispanicGirlsUnited Is Pushing Back On Stereotypes About Latinas

Latinos are the largest minority group in America, even surpassing whites as the largest racial/ethnic group in the state of California, according to the Pew Research Center. And yet, these individuals constantly face marginalizing, insulting stereotypes. As Raquel Reichard wrote for Mic in 2014, "If you were to accept everything you heard about Latinas, you might think they were scheming and hypersexual, yet socially conservative women whose 'equal educational opportunities' and 'competitive purchasing power' signify their 'arrival.'"

While Hispanic women have debunked these myths before, Twitter user Joyce Santeliz decided to continue this conversation Thursday on the social media platform by launching the hashtag #HispanicGirlsUnited, Take Part reported.

Since then, plenty of other Twitter users have chimed in about common Latina stereotypes they face as well as the discrimination they've experienced, including: 

Cultural ignorance, intolerance and discrimination

As well as specific stereotypes about teen pregnancy...

Immigration...

And beauty standards.

By 2060, roughly 31% of the United States population is expected to be of Latino descent, according to the Pew Research Center. Latinos, however, are not just a formidible in population size — they're a crucial contributor to the country's economy, politics and culture. It's high time our nation stopped attempting to marginalize this group and recognize them for who they are — American citizens as worthy of the equality we purport to value as anyone else. Hopefully, efforts like #HispanicGirlsUnited will serve as valuable contributions to this long overdue goal.

h/t Take Part