As society moves forward, terms that were considered appropriate and politically correct grow obsolete. That’s simply a sign of the advancement of culture. While laws made today will most likely reflect contemporary cultural thought, the same can’t be said for the laws of old.

To make sure that laws that were ratified years ago are still applicable and aren’t offensive to any involved parties, President Obama has signed a bill to strike out a list of outdated terms such as “Negro,” “Oriental,” “American Indian” and Eskimo, according to Mediate. 

“After months of advocacy in both chambers of Congress, derogatory terms in federal law will finally be updated to reflect our country’s diversity,” she said Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), according to NBC. “Mahalo to President Obama for his quick action.”

“Many Americans may not be aware that the word ‘Oriental’ is derogatory,” she continued in a statement. “But it is an insulting term that needed to be removed from the books, and I am extremely pleased that my legislation to do that is now the law of the land.”

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