Classifying humans by attributes is universal but never benign

Evidence

Race is not unique as a category of difference. Gender, class, age, nationality, and culture have all been invoked to capture, and in many cases explain, difference. This process is not benign. It involves “othering,” which is used to justify subordinate status, unequal treatment, to structure oppression and exploitation in numerous ways. — Michael Omi, Howard Winant, Racial Formation in the United States, 28

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Classification and symbolization alone are human universals, not genocidal precursors