The Merriam-Webster dictionary announced last week that it is revising its definition of “racism,” expanding it to reflect the “systemic aspects” of racism. To some the move will look like a grasp at a bandwagon.
But as dictionary editor Alex Chambers told The New York Times, definitions are added or revised “when we see large-scale changes happening in language.” And the cultural understanding of “racism,” at least among younger generations, is evolving. After all, it was a recent college graduate, Kennedy Mitchum, who lobbied Merriam-Webster for the change.
In the interest of understanding, here’s a quick look at the way young adults, especially millennials and Gen Zers, are coming to understand “racism” and related terms.