In response to outrage at how racist and aggressive the definition of the word ‘Aboriginal’ was in Urban Dictionary, the administrators of the site have made the decision to remove the word and its attached entry.
The original definition can be seen below, and we are pretty shocked that it took up until now for the changes to be made.
The changes Urban Dictionary have made give way to a more important conversation about how people are capable of profiling, stereotyping and actively misunderstanding Indigenous culture.
This conversation comes directly after the contentious Australia/Invasion Day debate, and raises huge issue with how we articulate and communicate our perspectives on Indigenous people in Australia. Especially where lines are to be drawn, and why stereotypes are still alive in our culture.
Thankfully, a growing number of us will say wholeheartedly that the time has come for Indigenous Australia to be treated with the unconditional respect that its people and history deserves. Socially, politically and culturally.
Urban Dictionary received attention from sites like the Blackfulla Revolution Facebook page, who posted the racist slander and encourage its followers to right the wrong by submitting their own accurate definitions of Aboriginal and to contact Urban Dictionary with the request that they remove the existing definition.
The issue gained so much traction that eventually a Change.org petition was started to call out Urban Dictionary on the mistake and for them to remove the definitions, a campaign which reached more than 7000 signatures.
Via Junkee.
