Have you ever stopped to wonder how we got here? One day you’re enjoying a slice of carrot cake, the next you’re being told it might carry some hidden racial baggage. Okay, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration—but only slight. In 2025, the academic world once again delivered its annual roundup of things deemed problematic through the ever-expanding lens of racial equity. And honestly, scrolling through the list left me shaking my head more than once.
It’s become something of a tradition: each year, campuses across the country uncover new corners of everyday life that apparently need urgent examination for bias. This time around, the tally reached an impressive 66 items. From the predictable to the downright bewildering, the declarations kept coming. In my experience, these lists say less about actual racism and more about how far the conversation has drifted from common sense.
The Ever-Expanding Definition of Racism on Campus
What strikes me most isn’t just the volume—it’s the sheer variety. We’re not talking about obvious historical wrongs or clear-cut discrimination. Instead, entire fields of study, leisure activities, and even medical treatments found themselves under scrutiny. Perhaps the most interesting aspect is how normal, neutral things get reframed when viewed exclusively through one particular filter.
Let’s dive in. I’ll group them loosely so it’s easier to follow, but fair warning: some of these will have you raising an eyebrow or two.
Academic Subjects and Classroom Staples
Education itself took some hits this year. Certain disciplines apparently require an “equity makeover” to be considered fair.
- Mathematics—yes, basic math—came under fire again for emphasizing correct answers over process in some critiques.
- Chemistry labs and their traditional methods were flagged in discussions about access and representation.
- English grammar rules got labeled as tools of linguistic oppression in certain pedagogical circles.
- Marine science research protocols were questioned for not sufficiently centering marginalized voices.
- Art classes focusing on traditional techniques rather than contemporary social commentary.
- Culinary programs teaching classic European methods without enough “decolonization.”
- Social work training that didn’t foreground racial justice in every module.
I’ve always thought learning should be about mastering skills and ideas, not constantly interrogating whether the subject itself is biased. But clearly, that’s old-fashioned thinking on some campuses.
Sports and Physical Activities
Athletics didn’t escape notice. Coaching positions at one university explicitly required candidates to approach the job through an equity perspective, implying the sport itself needed fixing.
- Football coaching roles demanding an “equity lens” in hiring and strategy.
- The professional football league’s structure and fan culture in broader societal critiques.
- General physical fitness standards when applied uniformly across diverse groups.
Sports are supposed to be the great equalizer—may the best team win. Yet somehow, even that merit-based spirit gets questioned these days.
Healthcare and Medicine
Perhaps most concerning were the items related to health. When medical care itself gets politicized, patients ultimately suffer.
- Standard pediatric cancer treatment protocols questioned for disparate outcomes.
- Prenatal care guidelines in certain contexts.
- Dark green facial masks for acne treatment—yes, really.
- General healthcare delivery systems and their historical roots.
- Practitioners from majority demographic backgrounds providing care.
Good medicine should focus on evidence and outcomes, not ideology.
It’s hard to imagine telling a sick child their treatment is problematic because of broader social patterns. Yet that’s the logical endpoint of some of these arguments.
Culture, Arts, and Entertainment
The arts took quite a beating. Appreciating certain traditions apparently signals something deeper.
- Enjoying classical composers like Mozart.
- Classic literature, including a certain James Bond novel.
- High-end restaurant guides emphasizing traditional excellence.
- Historical monuments honoring early settlers.
- Traditional depictions in religious art.
There’s something deeply ironic about labeling cultural achievements as problematic while claiming to champion diversity. Isn’t exposure to different traditions part of appreciating human variety?
Places and Spaces
Even geography isn’t safe. Certain landscapes and institutions carry invisible baggage, we’re told.
- The rural British countryside and its demographic makeup.
- Certain university campuses with historical ties.
- Dance programs at specific institutions emphasizing classical forms.
- General school environments not sufficiently transformed.
Location, location, location—now with added ideological scrutiny.
Politics and Ideology
No surprise here: certain economic and political systems topped the list.
- Capitalism and free-market principles.
- Merit-based evaluation in any context.
- Colonial history’s lingering influence on modern institutions.
- Traditional conservative viewpoints.
- Opposition to expansive diversity initiatives.
- Election outcomes not aligning with progressive hopes.
When losing a democratic vote gets framed as evidence of systemic bias, we’ve truly entered new territory.
Law Enforcement and Security
- Immigration enforcement agencies.
- Campus and local police presence.
- Policies maintaining single-sex spaces for safety.
- Arrest procedures for law-breaking, regardless of background.
Public safety shouldn’t be controversial, yet here we are.
Everyday Objects and Technology
Some entries were just plain head-scratchers.
- A certain electric pickup truck design.
- Space exploration vehicles and their naming.
- Phrases like “field” or “mob rule” in academic writing.
- Red-haired nicknames when used casually.
- Even carrot-based desserts in specific contexts.
At this point, it’s hard not to laugh—even if the implications aren’t funny.
People and Groups
Broad demographic categories made appearances too.
- Certain ethnic or racial majorities in general.
- Specific political activists and commentators.
- Religious communities with traditional structures.
- Historical figures from complicated eras.
- Conservative student organizations.
Painting entire groups with the same brush feels like the opposite of nuance.
Policies and Practices
- Incentives for family growth.
- Requiring progress updates from students.
- Positive self-reflection assignments.
- Localization of services versus centralization.
- Funding decisions based on performance metrics.
Basic administrative functions now need ideological vetting.
Looking at this sprawling list, a few patterns emerge. First, the net has been cast incredibly wide—virtually nothing seems exempt from potential critique. Second, merit, tradition, and universality keep coming under attack. Third, solutions often involve mandating specific ideological perspectives rather than fostering open debate.
In my view, constantly searching for bias in neutral spaces risks creating the very division it claims to fight. When everything from math homework to skincare routines carries racial implications, the term “racism” starts to lose meaning. Real discrimination becomes harder to address amid the noise.
Maybe that’s the real story of 2025: not that campuses discovered 66 hidden racist elements, but that the framework for seeing racism has expanded beyond recognition. Students deserve better than an education steeped in suspicion. They deserve tools to think critically, not scripts to recite.
Here’s hoping 2026 brings a return to sanity. Though if past years are any guide, I wouldn’t bet on it.
What do you think—have we gone too far, or is this necessary vigilance? The comment section awaits.
