I wish I had a more thoughtful comment, but I just can't get past the fact that it used to be called SQUAW PEAK. Is there a "Mount Welfare Queen" kicking around somewhere too? Just so the first one doesn't get lonely being the only mountain with a racist name? (I don't think my example is nearly as nasty as squaw, but I'm not very well-versed in my racist terminology.)

She sounds very deserving, though, and like a really good person.

Surely I'm not the only one who's thinking that maybe "women of color" is a ridiculous phrase after seeing this post on a fair-skinned woman being tagged as such.

I'm with your, prairielily--I had to read that first sentence of the post three or four times. "Squaw Peak? Really?" I'm glad that, not only did they change the name, but they changed it to something so much more positive.

I was living in AZ when there was first talk about renaming Squaw Peak after Lori Piestewa, I thought there had been a movement to name a different mountain in her honor because of the negative aspects of renaming Squaw Peak after a Native American woman....I can't remember the specifics and i wish i could. Cecelia's link says her family and tribe pushed for the change so i must be remembering incorrectly...I might be thinking of some of the BS in the AZ Republic opinion section (which I always found entertaining.

PS--Thanks for the link to the Rolling Stone profile. I haven't touched that magazine in years, so it was nice to see a well-written sympathetic article from them. I was especially moved the end.

Really glad to hear they re-named it. The term "Squaw" is definitely offensive, and I'm glad to hear they changed it to something positive.

Some of the news on here lately has been really disheartening. I'm happy that we have some good news.

Alice- does the tone of her skin change her status as an ethnic minority? I don't think it's inappropriate but I'm white and no authority on this.

Nice to hear some real stories about women in the military, no more of this Lynch BS (referring to the inflated stories surrounding her, not the woman herself).

As a Native American woman, esp one who grew up on the Navajo Rez, I can't say how happy and proud I am that they made the choice to honor her. Right on!

This was a pretty ugly battle that ended well. The state GOP used every procedural trick to keep this from happening, but Lori's heroism and a tenacious Gov. Napolitano finally won out. Thanks be to women in governor's offices, eh?

On a side note, I grew up in Tuba City and was pretty good friends with her older brother. I didn't actually know Lori, but her family is quality. I'm glad to see that they have moved on and that the black mark that was S. Peak has been changed to a place of honor. Contrary to what the idiots say, renaming the peak in her honor commemorates all of those who have selflessly given to this country. Thanks for what you have done for us, Lori, and thank sor the others who labor for us on and off the Rez.

This is so wonderful. Sadly there are a lot of place names in this country with the word "squaw" in them. Here's hoping they all get changed to honor awesome women.

Surely I'm not the only one who's thinking that maybe "women of color" is a ridiculous phrase after seeing this post on a fair-skinned woman being tagged as such.

No offense, but you just might be the only one. I don't know what you think "women of color" means. However, "women of color" is not exclusively based on the color of someone's skin. I'm lighter than the late Lori Piestewa, and I definitely am a woman of color. I definitely will never get mistaken for white in this country, and I heavily doubt I will ever get to exercise privilege because my "racial"/ethnic background (not that I would want to in the first place).

I'm really happy for her. She deserves the recognition.

And Alice, you've got to be kidding. So are Japanese women not women of color since they're fair-skinned? Is my mom not a woman of color since she's a light-skinned Mexican? eyeroll.

I don't want to put words in Alice's mouth, but I think she meant that the TERM "women of colour" is inappropriate, not the concept of "women of colour." I don't agree, but if that's what she meant, I can see where she's coming from. There could probably be a more useful term that adequately describes those of us who are pretty light, but not white, but I don't know how to do that without bringing up some colourism issues.

It would actually be an interesting topic to discuss in its own post.

Awesome. I feel warm inside. And touched - because women in the military suffer many more gender-based hardships than their male counterparts. Still ... it makes you wish she could have gotten through this crap and gone home.

And who the f' would name a mountain "Squaw Peak" in the first place? Stupid.

Every time I look at that candid shot, my heart breaks to imagine her dying in combat.

I wish we had more mountains to rename and fewer names to put on them.

Thank you for the link to learn more about this unsung hero, whom even Jessica Lynch calls "the real hero" of the attack which made her famous.

That is an amazing story of courage, strength, and overcoming adversity, but she became, as described by Rolling Stone, as "The Forgotten Soldier."

On another recent thread, one poster was fed up hearing the term "white privilege." To NOT have grown up like her or NOT live in a place where she grew up, where locals know from experience when they say "It sucks," is just one example of what "white privilege" means for many. Also from the article:

"Homeland security: fighting terrorism since 1492"

I've heard that slogan before. I like it.

Also, what's this BS about people of color requiring color? Fine. Then call people ethnic or cultural minority, Native American, First Nation, Hopi, or whatever they choose to call themselves. Also don't be surprised if a number of "minority" people simply consider themselves "unhyphenated American" or don't publicly identify strongly with any particular aspect of their ethnic or cultural heritage, like Tiger Woods.

I went for a really long time not knowing that "squaw" was a slur. Of course, it doesn't take much to put it together: when you have a word to describe the gender of a minority it's usually not something sparkle-positive.

Good on them for renaming it... it's too bad such a wonderful vital woman had to die for it to happen.

“I can see where she's coming from. There could probably be a more useful term that adequately describes those of us who are pretty light, but not white�
I don’t know, I think you can be blond and blue-eyed and still be a woman of color, depending on what your ancestry is (your name can give it away). It doesn’t directly correlate with the color of your skin.

It is quite an honor indeed! I am very happy for her too!

Thank you for everyone who elaborated on "women of color" phrase. It is also important to note that many woman of color are mixed and therefore the skin is lighter or darker depending. My skin is lighter and I am a woman of color.

prairielily-"colourism" would be a good topic to discuss. Also I think the term "minority" would be good to discuss as well.

A male-I really don't like to indentify as a minority. It creates more division and seperation. Who began defining the term "minority" anyways? I prefer to say Ojibway or recently I am enjoying saying that I am a human being.

sojourner-my Aunt is 1/2 Black and has blonde hair and blue eyes. So, it is true that people of color can have very light skin, light hair and even blue eyes!

I think it's important to note that "women/men/people of color" is a term that resonates more in the US. In the US, it's not only an issue of race/skin color, it's an issue of power and privilege, as I said in my first post.

Then call people ethnic or cultural minority

Many people, including myself, do not like to call themselves a minority, because it implies "less than," not only in a numerical way, but in a worth sense, if that makes any sense.

I grew up in a small desert town in Arizona and have lived in Phoenix for the last 7.5 years. I am so glad they finally changed the name! It was a long battle.

Sqaw was/is such an ugly word.

Ahhh! Good news! What a lovely lady, and what a heartwarming story. As someone from a part of the nation with a rich Native American culture/heritage, I'm always glad to see Natives getting the respect and recognition they deserve.

It's only a disappointment that more of the values I have learned from living where I do aren't taught in a greater portion of this country.

Hilary: Alice- does the tone of her skin change her status as an ethnic minority?/i>

faerietails: And Alice, you've got to be kidding. So are Japanese women not women of color since they're fair-skinned? Is my mom not a woman of color since she's a light-skinned Mexican?

You're practically making my point for me, but don't realize it. Skin color doesn't affect status as an oppressed ethnic group. That's why I'm saying "of color" is a poor choice of euphemism for it, since it implicitly excludes fair-skinned ethnic groups that have also been/are also being discriminated against.

Myself, I'm of Mexican descent, and would undoubtedly be called a "woman of color" by your definitions, but... I'm not colored. At least, no more colored than those of European descent commonly called "white." But you're telling me that I should just accept "of color" because, what, the oppression of dark people is just more important?

Alice, I think you're taking the phrase "of color" too literally.

I may be wrong, but "of color" is an inclusive way to say non-white/Caucasian. However, rather than call people who aren't what is constructed as white as "non-white" (which implies lacking something and only referencing them in terms of those with power), some prefer "people of color." It's obvious that you do not prefer this term. That's up to you.

From what I understand, "of color" the phrase used to offset people who aren't considered racially "white" as a group as opposed to trying to specifically describe a group's skin color. It's a phrase that is more inclusive than those that name specific races and ethnicities.

As we see in the above comments, a lot of the phrases used to describe those who are not White/Caucasian in this society (ethnic minority, non-white, etc.), many are offensive to women who are being lumped in those groups. It's fine if you find the phrase "women of color" offensive to you, but it wasn't ever really meant to be technically and specifically descriptive of people's skin colors.

That's why I'm saying "of color" is a poor choice of euphemism for it, since it implicitly excludes fair-skinned ethnic groups that have also been/are also being discriminated against.

The term "people of color" is not excluding fair-skinned ethnic groups. Ellestar is pretty much right, "of color" is an inclusive way to refer to all people who are not white, and recognizing the common discrimination, biases, and general prejudices that that groups have endured in the US due to this.

And "of color" =/= "colored." "Colored" was an term used for African-Americans. Again, it is not to be confused with "of color," which refers to "non-white" individuals.

This is a sad story.

Indian Americans, of course, join the army in higher proportions than the general American public.

The history of Native American participation in the military dates back to when that was the primary way they could gain official citizenship and rights under the US constitution. And until the late 20th century, many Native Americans reported joining the military b/c they felt less racism there than they had ever felt in their life, when interacting with non-native Americans...

L-K: And "of color" =/= "colored." "Colored" was an term used for African-Americans.

Right. My mistake.

ellestar However, rather than call people who aren't what is constructed as white as "non-white" (which implies lacking something and only referencing them in terms of those with power), some prefer "people of color."

Well, classifying such a group by the group they're not a part of seems appropriate to me, since that is in fact the only thing this extremely diverse group actually does have in common. What I wonder, is if the people who originated the phrase "people of color" were going to go through all the trouble of changing the English race lexicon in the first place, why they didn't just go ahead and start calling whites European or something, thus eliminating the false white/color dichotomy entirely.

Well, I guess it's a lost cause, since I don't presume to have the influence to change any of this. Good on the U.S. Board on Geographic Names for changing the name of that peak, though.

am I the only person reading this who thinks everything about it is sad? From the fact the mountain had that name, a woman killed for her invaders gets put on it, the first Native American woman ever killed in combat dies in an illegal war, the white woman got the glory... why couldn't it be named after a local activist, or someone who died fighting for Hopi land in the last century? Or just given the local Native American name for the peak? (That's what happens in NZ).

everything about this story is sad.

You're right. I should say "their group" if they do want to identify themselves.

My father was half-Japanese and half-Filipino, a product of one of the first such intercultural marriages in our community. He reported that while in the Army, a large Native American man took him under his wing under the initial assumption from his appearance that he was also Native American.

No, that also came out wrong. In any case, I should not say minority, particularly concerning my views on sovereignty and land ownership rights, as in Hawaii.

I'm a little late to the comment party, but FYI people in Arizona have called this mountain Piestewa Peak since 2003. I guess it's just finally become nationally official.