The Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s definition of the word “nude” has been updated after a college student named Luis Torres started a campaign called “Nude Awakening” on July 14, also known as National Nude Day, for the word’s outdated definition of “having the color of a white person’s skin” to be changed. The previous definition offended many due to its racial connotations, because in actuality the color nude does not refer only to white people’s skin – there are many shades of nude just like there are many shades of skin color.

“Since when are dictionaries making racial slurs? I thought America was leading towards equality, but obviously a dictionary can do whatever it wants and publish such a racist definition. I’m glad they changed it,” sophomore Jolie Ontiniano said.

It is shocking to see that such a well known company like Merriam-Webster actually published a word with such an inaccurate and racist definition. Many people say that Merriam-Webster was the only dictionary with a racist definition for “nude” and that they needed to “get with the times.” Torres was successful in his quest to change the word’s definition to read, “having a color (as pale beige or tan) that matches the wearer’s skin tones” which is a much more accurate definition. 

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It is unbelievable yet disgusting that a definition of nude in the Merriam-Webster would envelope such a racist definition portraying nothing but discrimination. Now that the definition has been changed, hopefully other words with discriminatory definitions will be changed as well.”

— freshman Kayla Hughsam

Not many people would go as far as Torres has in order to change the definition of a word that they believe to be incorrect. The word nude should not be reserved only for those of white skin tone – nude is a state of being and not a skin color. It is 2015 and we have made great strides towards racial equality, so it is important that we keep taking steps forward and not backward on our way.