Race is self-identified, self-determined, and subject to change

The only way countries or institutions can gather statistics on race is for people to identify themselves racially. Census data and racial statistics are always based on self-identification.^[1] Sometimes, people do not know how to identify themselves on the census because the census categories do not contain a person's self-identification.^[2] People are free to identify with any racial group.^[3] A person can identify as different races throughout their lifetime.^[4] A person's self-identified race may change due to several reasons, such as learning more about their heritage or understanding race differently. Furthermore, other people cannot always identify another person's race. Many experience being identified by outsiders as a race that they themselves do not identify, such as acclaimed golfer Tiger Woods ^[5] or Hispanic people of lighter complexions. ^[6] Other racial minorities say people's perceptions of their race change as they move to different places.^[7] People's personal experiences with understanding their own race over time demonstrate that race is self-identified, self-determined, and subject to change.

[P1] Racial identification is determined individually. [P2] An individual's self-determination is more valid than society's identification.