Latinx has been increasingly popular among politicians and mainstream media. But a new Pew research released Tuesday suggests that only a small portion of the U.S. Hispanic community have embraced this term.

Pew Research Center did the first significant poll that tracks the "Hispanic / Latino" demographic and social trends. It found that roughly three out of four Latinos in the U.S. hadn't even heard of the term "Latinx."

The term was coined in place of "Hispanic" or "Latino," mainly for those who identify under LGBTQ+, Time Magazine noted. Among the Hispanics who have used the term Latinx, only 3% of them describe themselves under the gender-neutral term.

When asked if the term should be used to describe the Hispanic population, only a third of the poll respondents said it should be used. Those who said it shouldn't be used make up 65% of the respondent population.

According to the poll, most U.S. Hispanics still want to be called "Hispanic" (61%) and "Latino" (29%) or their country of origin.

Pew Research Center polled 3,030 U.S. Hispanic or Latino adults who are aged 18 and older, in December 2019. The research center said the poll was done bilingually and was "nationally representative."

Why Use Latinx?

Latinx first emerged online and in the academic field in the early 2000s.

It was the most recent attempt to cure a long-standing issue with the Spanish-rooted words, in particular, the use of gendered words ending in "o" (male) or "a" (female).

According to a Los Angeles Times report, Latinx proponents believe that using the term "Latino" as the default term for mixed-gender groups reinforces patriarchy.

For them, using "Latino" is not fitting for people who do not conform to a certain gender.

To help solve the problem, academics first experimented with the use of "Latin@", which is said as "Latino/Latina." There have also been movements to use the term "Latine" as another gender-neutral term.

Latinx may not be widely accepted now, but its use could rise in due time.

Mark Hugo Lopez, one of the study's authors, said, "One thing that is happening worldwide is a growing number of conversations around gender-neutral language, and we see similar movements here."

Is Latinx Catching On?

The term Latinx has been rising in awareness and usage among certain groups. Most of those who know of it and use it are young adults and college graduates.

The Pew study found that it is most used among young Hispanic women, with 14% saying they use it. This is higher than the percent of young Latino men who said they do use the term.

In an NBC News report, Angelica Peña, a writer in her early 20s, said her generation appreciates Latinx because it stands for inclusivity.

 "As Latinos, we face our share of marginalization and oppression, and this is a way to band together," said Peña. "It is a way for the community to identify with something larger than our individual selves."

She did know, though, that it is harder for older generations to adapt to the new terms because they are used to saying, Latino.

"It is hard to find a word that makes everyone happy," she said.

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