View source for Beaner

{{Italic title}}
{{Short description|Ethnic slur}}
{{about|the slur|other uses|beaner (disambiguation)}}
{{Distinguish|The Beano}}
'''''Beaner''''' is a derogatory [[Pejorative|slur]] originally from the [[United States]] to refer to individuals from [[Mexico]] or of [[Mexican American]] heritage.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Definition of beaner|url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/beaner|access-date=2021-12-19|website=www.dictionary.com|language=en}}</ref><ref name="mouth">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/27/AR2005092701875.html |title=The Mouth of Mencia |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=September 28, 2005 | first=William | last=Booth | access-date=April 26, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=San Diego's top Latino cop retires |work=[[The San Diego Union-Tribune]] |date=September 1, 2005}}</ref><ref name="pedro">{{cite news |title=Pedro deflects the barbs; Racist comments don't faze Sox ace |work=[[The Boston Herald]] |date=September 14, 2000}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite news|date=July 31, 2000|title=You are what you eat... arguably: John Sutherland on national nicknames|work=[[The Guardian (UK)]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/g2/story/0,,348802,00.html}}</ref><ref name="NBC">{{cite news |last1=Romero |first1=Dennis |title=The worst slur for Mexican-Americans is still a mystery for some |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/worst-slur-mexican-americans-still-mystery-some-n959616 |access-date=2019-02-01 |work=NBC News |date=2019-02-01}}</ref> It originates from the [[bean]] being a [[Staple food|staple ingredient]] in [[Mexican cuisine]], such as Salsa Verde Soup or Bean Quesadilla.
== Usage ==
The word was first seen in print in 1966, although the term has reportedly been in use at least since the 1940s, having evolved from previous slurs such as ''bean-eater'' (1919) and ''bean-bandit'' (1959).<ref name="mouth" /> It is one of many national and ethnic slurs that refer to a nation's cuisine, such ''[[kraut]]'' for a German, ''spud-muncher'' for an Irish person, and ''frog'' for a French person.<ref name=":0" />
The word is considered to be one of the most offensive slurs for Mexican-Americans, although according to ''The Historical Dictionary of American Slang'', the word is only "usually considered offensive".<ref name="mouth" /> Academics say that it is the most prominent anti-Mexican slur, having replaced ''[[Greaser (derogatory)|greaser]]'' after the 1950s. It can resonate with the [[Xenophobia|xenophobic]] sentiment that "you’re not American, and you never will be", and as such is sometimes directed at any Hispanic.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Romero|first1=Dennis|title=The worst slur for Mexican-Americans is still a mystery for some|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/worst-slur-mexican-americans-still-mystery-some-n959616|access-date=2021-10-17|website=NBC News|date=February 2019 |language=en}}</ref>
In the 2000s comedian [[Carlos Mencia]] was known for using it, and other pejoratives, extensively and used it regularly for [[Comedy|comedic effect]] in his ''[[Mind of Mencia]]'' program.<ref name="mouth" />
In May 2018, about two weeks before [[Starbucks]] initiated a racial bias training program for its American employees, a Hispanic customer in [[La Cañada, California]], received his order with the name ''Beaner'' written on it.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pérez|first=Dinorah|title=Hispanic Customer Given Starbucks Order With Racial Slur Written on Cup|url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/national-international/starbucks-la-canada-racial-slur-cup-hispanic-latino-customer/2049594/|access-date=2021-10-10|website=NBC Los Angeles|date=17 May 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Other use ==
Because the term originates from a common English word, there are other pre-existing or unknowing uses of ''beaner''. For example, ''beaner'' has been used to describe someone from Boston ([[Nicknames of Boston|Beantown]], [[Boston baked beans]], [[History of the Boston Braves|Boston Beaneaters]]); when accidentally smoking a marijuana seed (alternatively called a [[bean]]);<ref>{{Cite web|title=I Found a Beaner in My Satchel|url=https://cannapages.com/articles/i-found-a-beaner-in-my-satchel|access-date=2021-10-09|website=cannapages.com}}</ref> a nickname (the 2012 book ''In Beaner's Backyard'');<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/brandon-beebe-graves/in-beaners-backyard/|title=IN BEANER'S BACKYARD {{!}} Kirkus Reviews|language=en}}</ref> in coffee shops (for the [[coffee bean]]); and for a [[hit by pitch]] in baseball ([[beanball]]). Awareness about the offensive meaning of the word is resulting in its usage being criticized and phased out of mainstream use:
* On September 15, 2007, regional coffee chain [[Biggby Coffee]], having been called "Beaner's Coffee" since its founding in 1995, decided to change its name to Biggby Coffee in response to comments about the unintended slur in its name. Biggby CEO and founder Bob Fish said, "We ultimately felt we would be condoning the use of a disparaging term if we chose to do nothing".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.biggby.com/beaners-coffee-to-rebrand-as-biggby-coffee/|title=BEANER'S COFFEE to Rebrand as BIGGBY COFFEE|date=2007-09-15|website=BIGGBY COFFEE®|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-08}}</ref>
* In 2019, the use of the word ''beaner'' in the [[New York Times crossword]], clued as "Pitch to the head, informally",<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=1/1/2019|title=Tuesday, January 1, 2019 crossword by Gary Cee|website=www.xwordinfo.com|access-date=2019-01-08}}</ref> generated controversy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2019/01/nyt-crossword-puzzle-ethnic-slur.html|title=The NYT Crossword Puzzle's Use of an Ethnic Slur Says a Lot About the State of Crossword Puzzling|last=Graham|first=Ruth|date=2019-01-03|website=Slate Magazine|language=en|access-date=2019-01-08}}</ref> New York Times crossword editor [[Will Shortz]] claimed he knew that the term had a pejorative meaning, but he had never personally heard it used as a slur before and argued that "any ''benign'' meaning of a word" ought to be "fair game" for inclusion in the crossword.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/ny-times-crossword-editor-apologizes-for-slur-in-new-years-day-puzzle/|title=NY Times Crossword Editor Apologizes for 'Slur' in New Year's Day Puzzle|date=2019-01-02|website=TheWrap|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-08}}</ref> Shortz ultimately apologized for including the slur.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/01/06/682575357/sunday-puzzle-stuck-in-the-middle|title=Sunday Puzzle: Stuck In The Middle|website=NPR.org|language=en|access-date=2019-01-08}}</ref>
* In 2019, [[Duluth, Minnesota]] coffee shop Beaner's Central changed its name to Wussow's Concert Cafe. Owner Jason Wussow stated that "Although the name Beaners was chosen twenty years ago out of innocent unawareness, it is undeniable that this word is xenophobic and offensive to many".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/restaurants-and-bars/2730982-West-Duluth-coffee-shop-to-change-name |title=West Duluth coffee shop to change name |website=duluthnewstribune.com |date=2019-06-25|access-date=2019-07-29}}</ref>
== Use in film ==
The word has been used by [[Tommy Chong]] in ''[[Cheech and Chong's Next Movie]]'',<ref>{{cite web |title=The worst slur for Mexican-Americans is still a mystery for some |author=Dennis Romero |work=NBC News |date=2019-02-01 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/worst-slur-mexican-americans-still-mystery-some-n959616 |access-date=2019-02-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202090430/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/worst-slur-mexican-americans-still-mystery-some-n959616 |archive-date=2019-02-02}}</ref> by [[Clint Eastwood]] in ''[[Gran Torino]]'' and ''[[The Mule (2018 film)|The Mule]]'', by [[Hank Schrader]] in ''[[Breaking Bad]]'', by [[Al Pacino]] in ''[[Donnie Brasco]]'' and by [[Jeff Bridges]] in ''[[The Morning After (1986 film)|The Morning After]]'',<ref>{{cite web |title=Sidney Lumet's The Morning After |author=John Cribbs |publisher=The Pink Smoke |url=https://thepinksmoke.com/frustratinglumet2.htm |access-date=2019-02-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203050050/https://thepinksmoke.com/frustratinglumet2.htm |archive-date=2019-02-03}}</ref> and in the movies ''[[30 Minutes or Less]]'' by [[Fred Ward]] and ''[[Lone Star State of Mind (film)|Lone Star State of Mind]]'' by [[David Semel]].
== See also ==
* [[Greaser (derogatory)|Greaser]]
* [[Spic]]
* [[Wetback (slur)|Wetback]]
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{Wiktionary-inline}}
{{Ethnic slurs}}
{{Portal bar|Mexico|Society}}
[[Category:Anti-Mexican sentiment]]
[[Category:Ethnic and religious slurs]]
[[Category:Hispanophobia]]
[[Category:English words]]
[[Category:Stereotypes of Hispanic and Latino American people]]