Newsom's Viral 'Latinx' Denial Collapses Under Online Evidence

California's Governor Gavin Newsom is facing scrutiny after his claim that his office has never used the term "Latinx" was directly contradicted by his own administration's records. During a podcast with Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, Newsom emphatically stated, "By the way, not one person ever in my office has ever used the word Latinx. I just didn’t even know where it came from. What are people talking about?"

But, as it turns out, people are talking about something that's been documented multiple times. Evidence from social media posts, press releases, and official documents linked to Newsom’s office show the term "Latinx" has been used quite a bit — and not just in passing. A 2019 tweet from Newsom’s official government account referenced a study on childhood poverty, explicitly stating, "#COVID19 disproportionately impacts the Latinx community." His personal account has also used the term, highlighting its role in pandemic-related discussions and policy measures.

In 2023, Newsom commented on the Republican Party’s actions, saying they were "banning not assault rifles, but the word Latinx." Meanwhile, Brooks Allen, one of Newsom's own education advisors, used the term in an official letter about California's Ethnic Studies model. The letter highlighted "Latinx American Studies" as a foundational area of the curriculum. For someone who claims utter ignorance of the term, it seems to have been tossed around quite freely within his administration.

It doesn’t stop there. Press releases from Newsom’s office in 2020 used "Latinx" to discuss minority-owned business impacts during the pandemic. It made another appearance in a document addressing learning gaps caused by school closures, stating that efforts would target "Latinx parents of school-aged children." Even the governor’s "Farm to School" initiative uses the term on its official web page, noting food insecurity rates among "Black and Latinx children." It’s almost like the term is hiding in plain sight across his administration’s platforms.

When asked for clarification, a spokesperson for Newsom’s office admitted that "Latinx" is "not a term widely used in his Administration," but acknowledged that "some staff have used it from time to time." This half-hearted defense is unlikely to smooth things over, especially as the term itself has been a point of contention. According to a Pew Research Center study, 51% of Hispanic Americans are unfamiliar with the term, and only 4% actually use it. Critics argue that it’s an unnecessary, even offensive, attempt at a gender-neutral alternative to "Latino."

So, whether Newsom’s denial was an honest lapse of memory or a calculated dodge, the evidence tells its own story. And that story is full of "Latinx," whether the governor is ready to own it or not.