Ask a Mexican 

Dear Readers: It’s not just questions and racist rants that invade the Mexican’s mailbox—your feedback sneaks under my digital fence, también. Let’s start with Lean Like a K Street Chola, a former gangbanger-turned-lobbyist who wrote in a couple of weeks back wondering how she could explain to quizzical pals why Mexican women use lip-liner. The Mexican responded that such coloring “attracts men”; here’s her response:

I love my new moniker! I must get new business cards made. Maybe the new name of my memoir (when I get around to writing it) will be K Street Chola: From Juvenile Hall to the Halls of Congress. Just one thing, muchacho: Not all women are interested in attracting hombres. Probably safer to not assume in the future. I’ve been pura lesbiana since before I was even a chola. I will grant that [using lip-liner] is probably to attract the mujeres machas. But a friend said she read somewhere that Latinas apply lipstick even more than non-Latinas, so perhaps it’s just genetic! —Lean like a K Street Chola

Muchas apologies, K Street Chola, but what did you expect from a macho Mexican man? I don’t know about your amiga’s assertion, but a study this year published by the NDP Group found that “Hispanic” women were more likely to use mascara, blush, eyeliner and lipstick than any other ethnic group. Maybe the genetic part is right—or maybe Mexican women (of all sexual persuasions!) just like to look better for their homeboys and heinas than gabachas.

The following is a general commentary to recall whenever Know Nothings compare Mexicans to Al Qaeda:

During the opening night of The Simpson’s Movie, my friend and I were surprised to find that the young group of Mexicans sitting behind us had dropped a loaded .45 ACP clip under our seat. Shocked and vowing to never frequent that Phoenix theatre again, I left with a further disappointment in Mexicans. On the flip side, I ran out of gas on the freeway a week later. While walking alongside the freeway, a Mexican gentleman by the name of Lionel stopped and picked me up. Lionel drove me 30 miles round-trip to get gas and would only accept my name and deepest gratitude as payment. If it weren’t for Lionel’s generosity I would’ve been royally screwed. I ‘m writing this as a plea for people not to judge a group of people just because of a few bad tamales and to show my appreciation for my Hispanic hero, Lionel. —Grateful Gringo

Gracias for your story, gabacho. I concur: Love the good Mexicans, nuke the cholos—except K Street Chola, of course.

Dear Mexican: Can you give me a good response when people ask me (often rudely), “What are you, anyway?” My mother is Mexican, my father is white. I look sort of vaguely ethnic—hence, the question. I like “White-xican” but is there some better answer out there? —Brown-Skinned Girl

Dear Half-Wab: How about “¿A quien chingada le importa?” (“Who the fuck cares?”)? Seriously, few things peeve the Mexican more than when someone questions a person’s ethnic identity. As I’ve written before, national character is never static, and anyone who claims otherwise is as deluded as a Minuteman. That’s why I love it when half-breeds create new terms to describe their dual heritages. “White-xican” is fine, but dig further into your gabacho papi’s past to create something better. My favorites are leprecano (half-Mexican, half-Irish), beaner-weiner (half-Mex, half-Kraut), Puerto Nortalian (quarter-Puerto Rican, quarter-Italian, half-Norwegian) and Korexican, the child of a Korean and Mexican marriage. I’m sure I’m missing out on other creative ethnic labels for half-Mexicans—got any more, gentle readers? The Mexican will publish the best ones in the coming weeks!

Got a spicy question about Mexicans? Ask the Mexican at TheMexican@askamexican.net. Letters will be edited for clarity, cabrones—unless you’re a racist pendejo.