Name change urged for gorditas: it’s discriminatory, say critics

Many of Mexico’s favorite snacks are noted for their colorful names, but one term for a stuffed corn tortilla has fallen foul of some social media users.

Gordita is the feminine form of the word for “chubby,” which some say is inherently discriminatory and should therefore be changed.

Proposals for a new name include masa con relleno (“dough with filling”) and masa frita (“fried dough”), the newspaper Proceso reported. Baked and deep-fried variants of gorditas are found all over Mexico.

Although the proposal gained some support on social media, other users considered the campaign misguided.

“They’ve been called that for a lifetime. It’s like wanting to change the name of burritos,” wrote one user, referring to another stuffed corn snack which translates literally as “little donkeys.” 

“They have been, are and always will be gorditas. If anyone is offended, lose weight,” another user crudely suggested.

It’s not the first time a snack’s name has caused controversy. In 2013, the bread company Bimbo changed the name of its cake from Negrito, a racially derived nickname common in Mexico, roughly translating to “black boy,” to the less controversial Nito. 

Faced with a similar issue last year, Swiss food giant Nestlé changed the name of a cookie from Negrita, roughly meaning “black girl,” to Chokita. 

With reports from Proceso

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
Sheinbaum reviewing a waterworks map

In canceling La Parota dam, Sheinbaum details a different water plan for rural Acapulco

0
Concerns over the land expropriation process in northern Acapulco and a lack of agreements with local communities drove Sheinbaum to cancel the hydroelectric dam project in favor of radial wells.
person at office

Formal and informal employment slumped during the first half of 2026

0
The negative June figures — topped only by the loss of 705,427 jobs in January — resulted in a deficit of 293,227 jobs through a disappointing first half of the year.
Del Toro on podium

Ensenada’s Isaac del Toro makes history at Tour de France

0
The 22-year-old capped his remarkable breakout year with a brilliant third-place finish on cycling's biggest stage, along with a white jersey signifying the race's best young rider.
BETA Version - Powered by Perplexity