Why are Hispanics and Latinos way less likely to identify as “white” now than previously?

[TheReckoning]

In 2010, 53% of Hispanic and Latino Americans identified as “white alone.” In 2020, however, only 20% did. What’s the cause for this huge drop?

[Green Line]

In 2010, the census listed White as an option without any further comment.  In 2020, they changed the format of the race question slightly and listed White with examples underneath (German, Irish, English, Italian, Lebanese, Egyptian).  Its believed that a lot of hispanics read the form and, seeing the white examples listed out being solely European & Middle Eastern, decided that it wasn't for them.  I assume if they hasn't listed out Egyptian & Lebanese, you would have seen a similar phenomenon with middle easterners.

It was stupid of them to change the format of the question as it makes comparisons to previous decades more difficult.  It also makes no sense to not provide a Latin American white option unless they were trying to make it clear that they didn't want them to select white.

[wnwnwn]

Some light skinned mestizos in Peru considered themselves white in the last Census. Despite that, most people called themsleves mestizos.

[Reactionary Libertarian]

Probably because being white in American culture is now publicly derided, and more importantly, makes one ineligible for a variety of benefits and scholarships. Arabs used to be fight to be legally white. Now they push for “MENA” category so they can get federal dollars in various programs and count for affirmative action and diversity. Hispanics also don’t want to ID as white and lose their benefits. People respond to economic incentives.

[GP270watch]

Probably because being white in American culture is now publicly derided, and more importantly, makes one ineligible for a variety of benefits and scholarships. Arabs used to be fight to be legally white. Now they push for “MENA” category so they can get federal dollars in various programs and count for affirmative action and diversity. Hispanics also don’t want to ID as white and lose their benefits. People respond to economic incentives.

Caucasians receive 72% of all scholarships. It's always funny to see how people live in this fantasy world where white Americans are being deprived of anything.

[Frodo]

Donald Trump opened their eyes as to how white Americans (especially those voting Republican) truly see them, and that try as they might, they will never be fully accepted by them.  Especially not with Trump promising mass deportations of everyone and anyone even remotely suspected to be illegal immigrants in their millions, upending their lives and ripping apart families, and setting up internment camps as they are being held and processed for removal.  He even described them as an 'army' invading America.  I wouldn't describe myself as 'white' either despite my mixed racial background if that is how they truly saw me.    

[Reactionary Libertarian]

Probably because being white in American culture is now publicly derided, and more importantly, makes one ineligible for a variety of benefits and scholarships. Arabs used to be fight to be legally white. Now they push for “MENA” category so they can get federal dollars in various programs and count for affirmative action and diversity. Hispanics also don’t want to ID as white and lose their benefits. People respond to economic incentives.

Caucasians receive 72% of all scholarships. It's always funny to see how people live in this fantasy world where white Americans are being deprived of anything.

If you’re Hispanic you’re eligible for Hispanic-specific scholarships, AA, filing discrimination lawsuits, as well as anything whites are eligible for. There are no Caucasian-specific benefits so identifying as Hispanic can only help you.

[Ancestral Republican]

Probably because being white in American culture is now publicly derided, and more importantly, makes one ineligible for a variety of benefits and scholarships. Arabs used to be fight to be legally white. Now they push for “MENA” category so they can get federal dollars in various programs and count for affirmative action and diversity. Hispanics also don’t want to ID as white and lose their benefits. People respond to economic incentives.

Caucasians receive 72% of all scholarships. It's always funny to see how people live in this fantasy world where white Americans are being deprived of anything.

If you’re Hispanic you’re eligible for Hispanic-specific scholarships, AA, filing discrimination lawsuits, as well as anything whites are eligible for. There are no Caucasian-specific benefits so identifying as Hispanic can only help you.

The Caucasian-specific benefit is the status quo of basically all of American history, under which blacks and Hispanics were denied opportunities and even subject to state violence that destroyed their wealth and social progress:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_race_massacre
https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/isadore-banks-6425/
https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/elaine-massacre-of-1919-1102/

[wnwnwn]

Maybe they used suppose naming himself white beneficed them before, but they don´t think that now.
Also, did that prior census include mixed categories?

[Badger]

Probably because being white in American culture is now publicly derided, and more importantly, makes one ineligible for a variety of benefits and scholarships. Arabs used to be fight to be legally white. Now they push for “MENA” category so they can get federal dollars in various programs and count for affirmative action and diversity. Hispanics also don’t want to ID as white and lose their benefits. People respond to economic incentives.

Caucasians receive 72% of all scholarships. It's always funny to see how people live in this fantasy world where white Americans are being deprived of anything.

If you’re Hispanic you’re eligible for Hispanic-specific scholarships, AA, filing discrimination lawsuits, as well as anything whites are eligible for. There are no Caucasian-specific benefits so identifying as Hispanic can only help you.

Legacy scholarships are a de facto Caucasian scholarship advantage which are far more numerous than any specifically for being Hispanic. Similarly the old boy School/ old girl school of Legacy Network connections work far better at securing jobs for Caucasians than affirmative action does for hispanics. A Caucasian absolutely can sue for being discriminated against unemployment or housing by Hispanic boss or landlord, but shockingly enough that literally almost never occurs.

And for all of the above, this was all just as likely to occur at the last census then it would today.

[TheReckoning]

In 2010, the census listed White as an option without any further comment.  In 2020, they changed the format of the race question slightly and listed White with examples underneath (German, Irish, English, Italian, Lebanese, Egyptian).  Its believed that a lot of hispanics read the form and, seeing the white examples listed out being solely European & Middle Eastern, decided that it wasn't for them.  I assume if they hasn't listed out Egyptian & Lebanese, you would have seen a similar phenomenon with middle easterners.

It was stupid of them to change the format of the question as it makes comparisons to previous decades more difficult.  It also makes no sense to not provide a Latin American white option unless they were trying to make it clear that they didn't want them to select white.

I wonder if White South African Americans were also less likely to identify as “white” then?

[quesaisje]

In 2010, the census listed White as an option without any further comment.  In 2020, they changed the format of the race question slightly and listed White with examples underneath (German, Irish, English, Italian, Lebanese, Egyptian).  Its believed that a lot of hispanics read the form and, seeing the white examples listed out being solely European & Middle Eastern, decided that it wasn't for them.  I assume if they hasn't listed out Egyptian & Lebanese, you would have seen a similar phenomenon with middle easterners.

It was stupid of them to change the format of the question as it makes comparisons to previous decades more difficult.  It also makes no sense to not provide a Latin American white option unless they were trying to make it clear that they didn't want them to select white.

The ways in which the Census collects race and ethnicity data have changed throughout its history. They're all politically contingent categories and, if anything, the bureau's stronger bias has been toward changing more slowly than the population that it is tasked with measuring. We have bigger changes coming in 2030, and it's likely that there will be more significant changes within the lifetimes of most people posting here.

I agree that the changes to the form contributed to this shift, but there's no getting around the reality that most of these categories don't have fixed meanings. That's part of what's going on here.