BY: ANA PEREYRA
October of 2019, Puerto Rican actress Gina Rodriguez better known as "Jane Villanueva" from CW's show "Jane the Virgin," proved to be anti-black. The actress thoughtlessly recorded herself rapping the n-word from the song "Ready or Not" by The Fugees.
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She deleted her post off Instagram and later uploaded an "apology" video. In that post, Gina said, "I just wanted to reach out and apologize. I am sorry. I am sorry if I offended anyone by singing along to The Fugees, to a song I love, that I grew up on."
The skepticism surrounding Gina's apology continued to circulate on social media until she posted another disingenuous follow-up apology stating she "thoughtlessly sang along." She also appeared on the Sway in the Morning, claiming her father was "dark-skinned" but never addressed the mistake or attempted to apologize for saying the N-word.
In the past, the actress has made several racial comments that have actively separated herself from the Black community. Instead of sincerely admitting she was wrong, the actress continues to victimize herself. Gina Rodriguez is Latina, a woman of color, but the N-word does not belong to her. If she can learn the lyrics to a song, she can learn not to say the N-word.
But it's not just Gina Rodriguez, anti-blackness is embedded into the Latinx community. Anti-black rhetoric from communities of color is equally as hurtful, and perpetrators of these racial slurs, especially Latinxs, should be held accountable for their actions.
There is no "if" you offended someone, Gina. When a non-Black person, such as Gina Rodriguez, uses a historically aggressive and derogatory racial slur, there is no possibility that it was or wasn't offensive. The word is offensive. This cultural colloquialism is a term of endearment and solidarity for solely the Black community.
The Latinx community must understand their privilege, and recognize that we do not face the same adversities or oppression as Black people. This isn't the first time Gina Rodriguez gets called out for her anti-blackness, and we are almost certain that we can expect another "apology" from Gina shortly.
Calling out anti-blackness in the Latino community often entails speaking up against your Abuela and acknowledging that the anti-black sentiment is deeply ingrained throughout the Latinx population. Anti-blackness thrives in a community that remains silent. No matter whether you are a star celebrity such as Gina Rodriguez or just an average college student, if you are not Black, you cannot say the n-word.
