Government Renaming Three Areas In San Diego To Remove Offensive Term

Three San Diego geographic sites are being renamed by federal officials for their use of the word "squaw." They are among more than 660 nationwide sites being targeted the U.S. Department of Interior announced Tuesday, February 22.

In November, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland declared the word a derogatory termed and launched a task force to remove it from use by the federal government. Haaland noted that the term has “historically been used as an offensive ethnic, racial, and sexist slur, particularly for Indigenous women.” The department released a list of candidate replacement names on Tuesday for sites in three dozen states.

According to FOX5, the term appears 86 times across nearly 30 counties in California. “Words matter, particularly in our work to make our nation’s public lands and waters accessible and welcoming to people of all backgrounds,” Haaland said in a statement.

“Consideration of these replacements is a big step forward in our efforts to remove derogatory terms whose expiration dates are long overdue. Throughout this process, broad engagement with Tribes, stakeholders and the general public will help us advance our goals of equity and inclusion.”

Each site has been given suggestions for potential new names:

• Squaw Canyon: Tierra Blanca Mountains, Burro Spring, Agua Caliente Springs, Sawtooth Mountains or Inner Pasture;
• Squaw Peak: Palo Verde Wash, San Felipe Creek, Barrel Spring, Fault Wash or Shell Reef; and
• Squaw Tit: Jacumba Mountains, Boulder Creek, Myer Creek, Jacumba Valley or In-Ko-Pah Gorge.