President Donald Trump cannot be stopped when it comes to his DEI fury and while we generally steer clear of purely political polemics when possible, we chime in on occasion when there’s a scientific angle that can be explored.
Earlier today, Trump issued an Executive Order — unironically titled, “Restoring Truth and Sanity To American History” — that instructed the Smithsonian to be less thoughtful of American history and more cheerleader-ish. That’s on him. However, in his EO, he made a claim that, well, gives us pause. We put it in bold:
Once widely respected as a symbol of American excellence and a global icon of cultural achievement, the Smithsonian Institution has, in recent years, come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology. This shift has promoted narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive. For example, the Smithsonian American Art Museum today features “The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture,” an exhibit representing that “[s]ocieties including the United States have used race to establish and maintain systems of power, privilege, and disenfranchisement.” The exhibit further claims that “sculpture has been a powerful tool in promoting scientific racism” and promotes the view that race is not a biological reality but a social construct, stating “Race is a human invention.”
The president is saying that race IS a biological reality and that racial differences are rooted in science.
That’s just crazy.
Despite centuries of belief to the contrary, science has shown that race is not a biological reality. It’s a social invention—a way of categorizing people that has no meaningful grounding in genetics or evolutionary biology.
Here are ten reasons why race, as we commonly understand it, has no basis in science.
Humans Share 99.9% of Their DNA
All humans, regardless of their racial or ethnic background, are genetically nearly identical. That tiny 0.1% of variation doesn’t divide neatly along racial lines and is not enough to support the idea of biologically distinct races. (That’s 1 for those of you keeping count.)
More Variation Within Groups Than Between Them
Studies consistently show that there’s more genetic diversity within so-called racial groups than between them. Two people from the same “race” may be more genetically different than two people from different races. This dismantles the idea of fixed genetic boundaries. (That’s 2)
Physical Traits Are Superficial and Misleading
Skin color, facial features, and hair type are influenced by a very small number of genes and don’t reflect deeper genetic differences. These traits evolved as adaptations to different environments, such as UV exposure—not as markers of separate biological groups. (And 3…)
Race Categories Are Arbitrary and Change Over Time
What counts as a racial group has changed from one country to another and from one historical period to the next. Science requires consistent, measurable categories—race is anything but. (And 4…)
The Concept of Race Was Created to Justify Power
Race as a category emerged during European colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade to justify the unequal treatment of people. Early “scientific” racial classifications were built on racism, not empirical evidence. (That makes 5…)
Evolution Doesn’t Support Racial Divides
Humans evolved recently in East Africa and spread globally. As a result, there hasn’t been enough time—or geographic isolation—for distinct biological races to emerge. We’re too young and too interconnected as a species. (5+1=6)
There Are No Genetic Markers Unique to Any Race
No single gene or set of genes exists in all members of one “race” and in none of another. Geneticists have not found a biological marker that defines one race from another. (7 and counting…)
Ancestry ≠ Race
People often confuse genetic ancestry (which refers to where your ancestors came from) with race. But ancestry is a much more complex, fluid, and informative concept than the rigid, outdated racial categories used on census forms. (Crazy 8, ever played that?)
Racial Medicine is Often Misguided
In medicine, race-based assumptions have led to misdiagnoses and mistreatment, especially among marginalized groups. Increasingly, researchers argue that medicine should focus on individual genetics and social determinants of health—not race. (Number 9… Number 9… Number 9…)
Science Itself Has Moved On
Leading scientific institutions, including the American Association of Physical Anthropologists and the Human Genome Project, explicitly reject race as a biological construct. The consensus is clear: race is not a scientifically valid way to categorize human beings. (Drum roll please… TEN!)
So Here’s The Thing… Race May Be Real, But It Is Not Biological Real.
Race is not written in our DNA. It’s a social idea—constructed, imposed, and perpetuated across generations. While it has no basis in science, its social consequences are all too real. Recognizing that race is a construct, not a category of nature, allows us to challenge the systems that continue to rely on it.