Hidden Racism in Spanish: Common Phrases and Their Impact

Microracism in Spanish: Everyday Phrases Reinforcing Negative Stereotypes Mexico City – A recent video by DW Español has sparked a conversation about linguistic microracism in the Spanish language. The video, featuring Colombian speaker Lali Riasco, highlights how seemingly innocuous phrases often carry hidden negative connotations related to race. "¿Usas expresiones como ‘tener un día negro’ o ‘estar en la lista negra’?", Riasco asks in the video. These phrases, while commonly used, associate the color black with negativity, inadvertently perpetuating harmful stereotypes. The video presents several examples, such as "tener un día negro" (to have a black day), which is often used to describe a bad day. Riasco suggests replacing such phrases with more neutral alternatives, like "tener un mal día" (to have a bad day). Similarly, "aguas negras" (black waters) can be replaced with "aguas sucias" (dirty waters). The video concludes with a call for greater awareness of linguistic microracism and a plea for more inclusive language. "Cuestionar estas expresiones no es exagerar, es ser consciente de cómo el racismo se cuela incluso en lo que decimos," Riasco states, emphasizing the importance of mindful language. The video has already garnered significant attention online, prompting a valuable discussion about the impact of language on societal perceptions of race. This small change in language can have a big effect on how people perceive and treat each other.