Striving for a post-racial world

‘The sooner we can get to Paul Gilroy’s ideal of “humanism” in a post-racial world, the better,’ writes Stephen Orton. Photograph: Eddie Otchere/The Observer

Re Yohann Koshy’s long read on Paul Gilroy (The last humanist: how Paul Gilroy became the most vital guide to our age of crisis, 5 August), his point that “race is a fiction” and that we should look forward discarding the idea of “race” altogether feels exactly right. The geneticist Adam Rutherford has pointed out that in terms of DNA, racial distinctions by skin colour are meaningless. The sooner we can get to Gilroy’s ideal of “humanism” in a post-racial world, the better.
Stephen Orton
Norwich

• Only one word for the long read: superb! This is the kind of journalism that distinguishes the Guardian from other publications. Congratulations to Yohann Koshy.
Gus Pennington
Stokesley, North Yorkshire

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