Remember these are the same people trying to tell you race is a social construct

"Racism" is a shibboleth. It's dog whistling.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shibboleth

A shibboleth is any custom or tradition, usually a choice of phrasing or even a single word, that distinguishes one group of people from another. Shibboleths have been used throughout history in many societies as passwords, simple ways of self-identification, signaling loyalty and affinity, maintaining traditional segregation, or protecting from real or perceived threats.

It's a strategic concept.
It's a divide and conquer tool.