10/16/2023

Science Says Race Isn't Real

Advocates want the census to reflect that

The notice from the federal government arrived in Carlos Hoyt's inbox last August. It was looking ahead to the 2030 Census and inviting Americans to give feedback. A request for help with the "challenge" of properly counting members of racial minority groups piqued his interest.

The moment Hoyt and others had been waiting for had finally arrived. The chance to tell the federal government, and send a bold message to the public: We shouldn't be asking people to identify by "race" at all.

Racial categories, assigned to people based on their appearance, geographic origin and other supposed attributes, got their start during the dawn of Western science in 18th century Europe. White Europeans, who then had no knowledge of human genetics and little meaningful contact with other cultures, placed themselves at the pinnacle. For centuries now, the categories have been used to divide and perpetuate every version of harm — enslavement, violence, an eclipse of opportunity. The reality of it all sometimes moves Hoyt to tears.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.