Interior Secretary Deb Haaland issued an order Friday banning the use of the word “squaw” from federal use for being a “derogatory” term for Native Americans.
Order No. 3404 designates “squaw” as a pejorative word due to its use “as an offensive ethnic, racial, and sexist slur, particularly for Indigenous women.” The order also created a task force to review other derogatory terms in the names of federal lands and monuments.
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“Racist terms have no place in our vernacular or on our federal lands. Our nation’s lands and waters should be places to celebrate the outdoors and our shared cultural heritage — not to perpetuate the legacies of oppression,” Haaland said. “Today’s actions will accelerate an important process to reconcile derogatory place names and mark a significant step in honoring the ancestors who have stewarded our lands since time immemorial.”
The new Derogatory Geographic Names Task Force will review the names, include “diversity, equity, and inclusion experts,” and consult with Native American tribes.
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Other federal agencies have made moves to modify language in accordance with progressive values. President Joe Biden banned federal agencies from using the term “illegal alien” in April, instead encouraging the use of words such as “noncitizen” and “migrant.”
Montana, Oregon, Maine, and Minnesota have already started removing “squaw” from names of places.
