What Society Made of Race

In the film “Race: The Power of Illusion, Episode 1,” evidence is shown to support microbiologist Pilar Ossorio’s comment, which states “There’s as much or more diversity and genetic difference within any racial group as there is between people of different racial groups.” The film is able to debunk the general misconception that race is a biological construct by focusing on a study done among a racially-varied group of students who also had the same mentality about race before their results. With the film proving that race is not a biological matter, it also brought up more questions about why race has had such power throughout history and even now.

In the study shown in the film, students of the same race believed that they would be more biologically similar and expected to have completely different results to those in other races. But once they compared their DNA to others, they realized that it is possible to have completely different results from those of the same race and have very similar DNA to someone of another race. This study supported Ossorio’s statement because the students believed that they would be most biologically similar to those who identified in the same race as them, but were proven wrong because there is still a lot of genetic diversity found among a single race. So even though many people do believe that race is biological, this film was able to prove it is actually a social construct. Race has been etched into our minds because we’ve been taught that people are of certain races according to their skin color, facial features, or hair texture. Yet race has no genetic basis, meaning that there is no single “characteristic, trait or gene that distinguishes all members of one so-called race.” Race is only prevalent now because we choose to use it to label groups of individuals, even though individuals among one race can be completely different.

I have always identified myself as Mexican and race has always been a pretty vital part of my identity because those around me have always suggested the importance of it. My family has taught me to be proud of my heritage, but I think this may have made me blind to the idea that race is only what we make of it. In the past I’ve told a friend, “but you’re Mexican,” because she didn’t know Spanish. I believed that knowing Spanish was a characteristic of our race, making me the same as those in the film who said that African Americans had an advantage in athletics. Although knowing Spanish isn’t a biological factor, I still once thought that it was that every member of our race needed to know. Although I am proud of being Mexican, there are still some confusing times due to race. In the U.S. Census, for example, there is not a direct option in race for myself. This caused 95% of those who selected “some other race” to be Hispanic. Zamora, a woman who filled out her first U.S. Census in 2010, said “it does make me feel excluded to a certain extent,” which I think is what race does to everyone. If one does not fit into the socially constructed idea of their own race, it causes confusion because we’ve been taught that races have common characteristics when in reality, this is not true. Although I still consider my race important, this film has confirmed that race is what we make of it, not what you’re obligated to be.

              Although race doesn't have any genetic basis and causes confusion, it still continues as part of our society. According to Race and Racisms: A Critical Approach, race exists now because "we continue to use propagate this idea" (Golash-Boza, 37). Since it is used as a classification system among our society, it hasn't lost its power even though it has negative impact on certain groups. From the beginnings of race, it was used to place a social order where Whites were superior to the other races found in the United States, like the Africans and Native Americans. Now, it is still used as a classification system through the various stereotypes that have been made of all the races. Race is also still so important today because individuals use it to not only classify others, but also to classify themselves. Many use race as a form of their identification and find it extremely important to them. Race has caused a multitude of problems from the beginning and in order for race to continue without creating more, our society needs to reflect on the past and stop using it in a racist manner to put down individuals that are different from themselves.