For years I resisted the urge to try one of those DNA testing kits. Every YouTuber seemed to be reviewing them. News websites published articles extolling their virtues. And, of course, pop culture sites like Buzzfeed published some of their staff’s most interesting results.
But I saw it as nothing more than a fad. What difference did it make where my ancestry came from? I knew who I was and the culture I was brought up with would not be rendered meaningless by learning I had ancestors from elsewhere. Finding out that I was 1% African would not automatically give me any claim to African culture or history.
Eventually, after friends of mine had tried ancestry testing, I decided to read more about the best testing kits. I managed to convince myself to try one, and it exceeded my expectations. DNA testing kits are more than a fad.
Here are 3 reasons why.
1. They actually provide important information
Something I definitely did not expect from DNA testing was that it might be good for my health. I had heard that they could provide information on possible genetic conditions, but I thought that was an exaggeration at most. Nonetheless, I wanted to find out if my test could tell me anything and it did!
Now, there were a few conditions that I have a slight genetic predisposition towards, which my DNA test found. However, that was not the most important source of information. What did make a difference was learning more about my family tree. I learned that members of my family on both sides had suffered and died from pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is generally undetectable until it is already too late to treat, and early diagnosis is therefore crucial.
I now know I need to go for regular checks and this could well save not just my life but the lives of my siblings and cousins as well.
2. You’ll get a new perspective on humanity
We all like to believe that we are perfectly egalitarian. There is not a prejudiced bone in our bodies. And when we do feel some sort of misgivings about a person based on ethnicity, sexuality, or the like, we acknowledge it and choose to learn more.
However, the truth is that our prejudice – or lack thereof – rarely has to be tested. It is easy to believe that we are not prejudiced when the matter had no relevance to us. Getting the results of my ancestry test made it impossible to go on pretending. I learned about the small percentages of my ancestry that weren’t what I expected, and had to come to terms with my not-so-ideal feelings towards them. I am certainly not alone in this.
Finding out that you are some percentage more diverse than you thought does not give you any claim to those cultures. But it does test your feelings towards them, exposing the work you need to do to become more accepting of people of all kinds.
3. Family matters
Finally, one thing I had not even thought of actually had a huge impact on me. I found out about family members I never knew existed. At first, I had no intention of contacting them. What did it matter if people just happened to be related to me?
Then one of them contacted me and I realized that family does matter. It is a strangely exhilarating experience meeting someone who you have so much in common with. Who has stories about common relatives that you’ve never heard. Who is suddenly someone you can trust, and who will have your back.
I did not expect much out of my ancestry test, but what I gained showed me that this is more than just a fad.