I notice the word "race" isn't used. Is WOTC looking to exchange that word with another, perhaps more accurate word? I feel 'species' captures what it really is better, but it feels a bit too sciency.
— Inpheksion (@Inpheksion) June 23, 2020
Fun fact: the word "species" has been in use since at least the 14th century, which is in a time period D&D often emulates.
— Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) June 23, 2020
Is that a hint? I like “Ancestry” and “Culture”. To me, “Species” is too science-y not in an anachronistic way, but in a verisimilitude way that will that beg consideration of things like “Are half-elves infertile like mules?” And that, my fellow adventurers, is the same kind of thing that got us into this mess, asking “What race is superior?” and “Can you have half-orcs without rape?”
My group has pretty much wholesale moved to “ancestry” as well, as it’s a better, clearer term. (But we’re not terrible sticklers: “species” and “race” are acceptable synonyms.) I think “race” is mostly troublesome because it’s so nebulous and in the real world is so often used to describe arbitrary distinctions. In fantasy and sci-fi, it almost always means species. In any case, racial identity (in any of its meanings) is nothing to hide from, in the real world or in fantasy, as long as you’re going to be open and honest about it. If you just want to blow stuff up with fireballs, yeah, you should probably find a less politically charged word and avoid the controversy.