Maya Bahl on Morphology, Sex, Race and Skin Color
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2018/08/28
Maya Bahl is an editor and contributor to The Good Men Project with me. She has an interest and background in forensic anthropology. Curious, Passionate, and Adventurous she would hope to make life more live-able! She writes poetry and narrative, and can be found at Times of Maya and Maya Bahl respectfully.
As it turns out, I hear the term race thrown into conversations in both conservative and progressive circles. At the same time, I wanted to know the more scientific definitions used by modern researchers including those in forensic anthropology. Then I asked Bahl about conducting an educational series. Here we are, part two.
To start the second part of the series, I asked Bahl about race in the public and then in the professional circles. Where the facial morphology becomes qualitatively realizable to most people, hence, the general heuristic used for prejudice, for example. The morphology to distinguish someone’s race may differ from skull morphology, and may differ from hip morphology used to determine the sex rather than the race of the person.
Bahl explained, “Aspects of the face and hips are indicators in telling the difference between men and women posthumously, where forensic anthropologists take measurements in providing an accurate reading. The nasal arch, forehead, jawline, and what is known as the mastoid process that is behind the jawline are indicators of race, although, it’s also the case where individuals of a race could show features that are distinguishable of another race.”
She went on to describe the way in which hip morphology is used to determine the sex of the person. With the birthing process for biological females and not for biological males as described in the forensic anthropological and biology community, the role of giving birth given, anatomically, to the female of the human species.
Then the questions moved into questions about race being determined by bone structure. Some may think of infering about bone structure or morphology and then about skin color if race relates to morphology and skin color relates to race. Bahl responded on the possibility of prediction and generation of an image of an individual in order to infer skin color from bone morphology. This remains within the realm of possibility.
“Many times image technicians have done so whether it’s to help law enforcement identify a perpetrator or victim or to bring closure through identification of a loved one. Even outside of Anthropology, facial and skeletal reconstruction has also aided historians and researchers in seeking the truth, like with reconstructing ‘Otzi’ or the Iceman that was found in the Swiss Alps. Without image processing software though, one couldn’t determine race by bone structure,” Bahl stated.
The other questions were about race differing from ethnicity based on expert opinion. As well, the inferences one can make about race through bone morphology.
“Race captures the scientific rigor of genetics and biology whereas ethnicity attempts to group perceived ancestry, ethnicity by definition is more specific as it goes deeper in linking people together. One may have an Asian Ancestry for instance, but have a Khmer Ethnicity from Cambodia,” Bahl said. “I would also turn the question around and just point out that variation among people are surfacing each day, where the distinct shapes of one’s face or nose is now not enough to claim someone’s race. There is 1 in every 1,666 births of identifying as a Transgendered individual, according to the 2000 study in the American Journal of Human Biology, where variation would undoubtedly be found.”
–One can find similar statements in other documents, conventions, declarations and so on, with the subsequent statements of equality or women’s rights:
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the Preamble, Article 16, and Article 25(2).
- Convention Against Discrimination in Education (1960) in Article 1.
- The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) in Article 3, Article 7, and Article 13.
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966).
- Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979).
- Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984).
- The Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (1993).
- Beijing Declaration(1995).
- United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000).
- Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (2000).
- The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa or the “Maputo Protocol” (2003).
- Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence or the Istanbul Convention (2011) Article 38 and Article 39.
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