Civil Rights
Apr. 13, 2023
County challenges law on renaming places with derogatory names
According to the bill, “’squaw’ is a racist and derogatory term that has historically been used as an offensive ethnic, racial, and sexist slur, particularly for indigenous women.”
Fresno County officials have challenged the state’s right to force them to change a 150-year-old place name that some regard as derogatory. Even if the rural, unincorporated area known as Squaw Valley is renamed, the county also contends residents should choose what replaces it.
The complaint challenges a law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed last year. Written by Assemblyman James Ramos, D-Highland, AB 2022 requires that by 2025, “the term ‘squaw’ ...
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