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Race & Ethnicity

Farmer-Rick

(11,399 posts)

4. Race can Not be found in our DNA

Reply to kimbutgar (Reply #2)

Sat Jan 14, 2023, 12:25 PM

Jan 2023

It is mostly a social construct.

When you take an ancestry test, they are looking at where the majority of your genes come from. So, if you have DNA G and the majority of people with DNA G come from north Africa, then they claim you have African genes. I don't even think they say black or use race catagories. Then we attach race to what coming from Africa means to us.

"As for whether race can be found in our genes, the answer is no. Biological ancestry, however (which is distinct from race), is real. Where our forebears came from can be seen in our DNA (to a certain degree), but ancestry does not map onto race, not even close." https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-general-science/are-you-there-race-its-me-dna#:~:text=As%20for%20whether%20race%20can,onto%20race%2C%20not%20even%20close.

But watching crime and other science shows on TV you would think DNA can easily identify race.

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My great-grandmother hid her race. Two decades later I understand why. [View all] Jilly_in_VA Jan 2023 OP

Very informative! Karadeniz Jan 2023 #1

+1. n/t iluvtennis Jan 2023 #8

I have the same thing in my family kimbutgar Jan 2023 #2

Race can Not be found in our DNA Farmer-Rick Jan 2023 #4

Thanks for that kimbutgar Jan 2023 #5

+1 2naSalit Jan 2023 #10

I have a cousin who married a black woman around half a century ago. I later realized that housecat Jan 2023 #3

From the photo of Lola and her brother, Albert, wnylib Jan 2023 #6

One of our DUers wrote a book about a community with tri-racial heritage, "Pell-Mellers".... Hekate Jan 2023 #11

I am familiar with Johnson's research and family history. wnylib Jan 2023 #13

Apparently there are interchangeable terms. I just googled & found a whole bunch of references... Hekate Jan 2023 #15

Melungeons Jilly_in_VA Jan 2023 #16

My guess on how this population originated is that wnylib Jan 2023 #21

It's all conjecture Jilly_in_VA Jan 2023 #23

I came across some reports of Spanish Jews and Muslims who wnylib Jan 2023 #24

Perhaps try contacting the publisher, or even the author ... eppur_se_muova Jan 2023 #25

Thank you! I dropped them a line and will see if anything turns up. Hekate Jan 2023 #26

Race is a cultural concept, not biological vlyons Jan 2023 #7

Yes, race is cultural rather than biological. wnylib Jan 2023 #19

"You choose your friends and you choose your enemies..." OldBaldy1701E Jan 2023 #9

Wise words. Delmette2.0 Jan 2023 #17

This message was self-deleted by its author Delmette2.0 Jan 2023 #18

There is only one race -- The Human Race. Higherarky Jan 2023 #12

Never mind if they were pale, with curly carrot top hair like little Archie Windsor Warpy Jan 2023 #14

Race is so very much a cultural construct, fascinating, sometimes devastating, as US history shows Hekate Jan 2023 #20

My Cajun Mother had a word that fit the bill here... Boxerfan Jan 2023 #22