For Patrick String, the transition from healthy 56-year-old man to seriously ill patient on life support happened almost instantaneously.
The day had started out simply enough. Patrick was at his home in New Jersey when he suddenly collapsed on the living room floor. His wife called an ambulance, and they rushed to the local hospital.
Scans revealed numerous blood clots in Patrick’s heart and lungs. He was immediately wheeled into the operating room to undergo an emergency thrombectomy — a surgery to remove the clots — and was put on life support.
<h6>Crucial Information</h6>
His physicians were baffled. They thought the clots might be the result of a COVID-19 infection, but the String family wasn’t so sure. 
“We didn’t feel like that was right in our heart of hearts,” Patrick’s daughter Samantha told <a href="https://www.insideedition.com/media/videos/mans-23andme-test-found-deficiency-that-helped-doctors-save-dads-life-75749">Inside Edition</a>. “We are vaccinated, we’re boosted, and we’d never really had a scare.”
It was then that Patrick’s son Andrew remembered the results of a recent 23andMe Health + Ancestry report. His report indicated that he had a genetic variant detected in the Factor II gene, which is linked to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/health-predispositions/hereditary-thrombophilia/">hereditary thrombophilia</a> – a predisposition to developing harmful blood clots. 
<iframe loading="lazy" width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vuigAbZigKw" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<h6>A Family Risk for Blood Clots</h6>
Andrew shared his Hereditary Thrombophilia Genetic Health Risk Report* result with his father’s medical team. They concluded that his symptoms aligned and that this could be a potential cause, one that they weren’t originally thinking of, given such an extreme presentation. Armed with this potential lead, they were able to tailor Patrick&#8217;s treatment. Follow-up testing confirmed that Patrick had the same variant and the doctors agree it is the most likely cause.
Today, Patrick is in physical therapy and is making significant progress. 
“I’m getting better every day, for sure,” he said. “I’m going to physical therapy twice a week and taking a lot of medication every day. The recovery is where we expected it to be.” 
While his father continues to work on his recovery, Andrew is working to spread the word about Factor II and 23andMe.
“I tell all my friends about it,” he said. “I tell all my coworkers and people just walking down the street about it. He [my father] is a medical miracle.”
<hr />
*The 23andMe PGS test uses qualitative genotyping to detect select clinically relevant variants in the genomic DNA of adults from saliva for the purpose of reporting and interpreting genetic health risks. It is not intended to diagnose any disease. Your ethnicity may affect the relevance of each report and how your genetic health risk results are interpreted. Each genetic health risk report describes if a person has variants associated with a higher risk of developing a disease, but does not describe a person’s overall risk of developing the disease. The test is  not intended to tell you anything about your current state of health, or to be used to make medical decisions, including whether or not you should take a medication, how much of a medication you should take, or determine any treatment.The Hereditary Thrombophilia genetic health risk report is indicated for reporting of the Factor V Leiden variant in the F5 gene, and the Prothrombin G20210A variant in the F2 gene and describes if a person has variants associated with a higher risk of developing harmful blood clots. The variants included in this report are most common and best studied in people of European descent. These variants are also found in populations with European ancestry, like African Americans and Hispanics or Latinos. For important information and limitations regarding each genetic health risk report, click <a href="https://www.23andme.com/test-info/">here</a>.

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

A Son’s 23andMe Results Helps Father’s Medical Team

Ah, summer vacation. A chance to set your status to “out of office,” grab that book you’ve been meaning to finish, and set off on a new adventure.
But how – and where – should you spend your precious days off? To help you finalize your summer travel plans, we’ve compiled a list of destinations influenced by your DNA and backed by 23andMe research.
Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast with a fear of heights or a beach lover who’s genetically predisposed to get a lot of mosquito bites, we have a destination that may pair well with your genes.

<h6> Summer Sans Bite</h6>
Summer marks the return of many simple pleasures – barbecues, beach trips, long days, warm nights, and time outside. But it also marks the return of a buzzing menace: the mosquito.
If you seem to have more itchy red welts on your ankles than the people around you, your DNA may play a role. 23andMe researchers found<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/itching-to-see-23andmes-new-trait-reports/"> 285 genetic variants</a> associated with mosquito bite frequency, size, and itchiness. These markers and other non-genetic factors such as birth sex may explain why mosquitoes find some people so attractive.
For the mosquito magnets among us, we recommend heading north to an urban location with cooler temperatures like Seattle, Washington. Seattle’s<a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/why-are-there-so-few-mosquitos-seattle"> temperate climate</a> helps keep mosquito populations <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/zika/pdfs/Zika-mosquito-maps.pdf">in check</a> because there is less heat, humidity, and standing water that they need to survive and reproduce. With its lively art and food scene and proximity to Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains, Seattle is buzzing in all the right ways.

<h6>Finding Balance</h6>
For those who suffer from<a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/motion-sickness/"> motion sickness</a>, the mere thought of a summer road trip may trigger a desire to stock up on motion sickness relief medicine.
Motion sickness may happen when there’s sensory conflict, or a mismatch between what your body feels is happening and what your eyes see. And genetics factor in, too. 23andMe researchers pinpointed<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/feeling-woozy-over-23andmes-new-report-on-motion-sickness/"> 413 genetic variants</a> that influence susceptibility to motion sickness. They also saw an<a href="https://academic.oup.com/hmg/article/24/9/2700/2385879?login=false"> association</a> between motion sickness and other conditions like migraines, morning sickness, and vertigo, which confirmed similar observations from previous researchers.
So this summer, ditch the car, skip the open road, and head to one of America’s most<a href="https://www.walkscore.com/NY/New_York"> walkable</a> metropolises: New York City. It’s a pedestrian’s paradise – museum exhibitions, Broadway shows, restaurants, lively neighborhoods, and shopping that can be easily reached on foot. No medication required.

<h6>Don’t Look Down</h6>
Does a precipice cause your heart to race? Does a mountain vista make your knees tremble?
A fear of heights is very common, affecting as many as <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00415-012-6685-1">one in three</a> people.
The distress may stem from a disruption in optical input and spatial orientation. While standing upright, the brain uses visual cues from surrounding objects to maintain balance. But this process can become muddled when standing at a high elevation relative to your surroundings.
There’s also a<a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/fear-of-heights/"> genetic component</a> at play. Scientists at 23andMe used statistical models and data from consented research participants to identify <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/itching-to-see-23andmes-new-trait-reports/">392 genetic markers</a> associated with a fear of heights.
<a href="https://www.nps.gov/bisc/index.htm">Biscayne National Park</a> offers an alternative to the high elevations and heart-stopping views that we usually associate with the National Park system. Biscayne is located off the southeast coast of Florida, the country’s flattest state, and features four different ecosystems that hover close to sea level. The park offers plenty of water activities and several<a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/florida/elliott-key-interpretive-loop"> low-elevation trails</a> that provide an awe-inspiring view of mangrove trees, sand bars, and turquoise water without that woozy, faint feeling.
Pack your bags; your DNA-tailored adventure awaits!

Where You Should Travel This Summer, Based on Your Genetics

Looking back on it all now, it’s surprising for Laura to see how it happened so fast, and how lucky she’d been.
And none of it would have occurred if her best friend hadn’t off-handedly suggested she use 23andMe.
“I thought it’d be fun and maybe we’d find out that we were distant relatives,” said Laura, a 48-year-old mother of two teens.
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Editor’s Note: We’ve talked to hundreds of people about what they did ‘after the click,’ after they opened up a report and learned about an unknown risk for breast cancer, or lung and liver disease, or cardiac and neurological issues. 
Most often, the response isn’t one of fear but empowerment.  
Suddenly they and their doctor have the information they can use to follow up on a risk in order to prevent or treat a serious illness. And this is often for risks they wouldn’t have known of otherwise. 
Here is the second in an occasional series about customers who were empowered to take action after learning of a serious health risk through 23andMe. 
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If she hadn’t used 23andMe, if she hadn’t been curious and simply open to knowing a little more about herself, Laura said she would likely still be walking around blissfully unaware of the looming risk.
“Knowledge truly is power,” said Laura. You just have to be open to it and ready to act on it.
<h6>Knowing</h6>
Even though it started on a lark, Laura recalls a moment during the process of ordering the 23andMe Health + Ancestry Service when she paused. As part of the intake, customers are asked if they understand they might learn something about their ancestry or their health that they may not want to know.
“After all, you can’t un-know something,” Laura said.
She thought about it and decided she wanted to know.
After sealing up her sample to send it in, she marveled for a moment about the science of it all, and the fact that from a little bit of saliva she could learn about her ancestral heritage, connections to close and distant relatives, and about her health.
Being able to do all that from a bit of spit was amazing, Laura said. 
<h6>There it Is</h6>
Three weeks later Laura got a message that her reports were ready for viewing. She sat down at her computer, signed in, and then navigated to her health reports. After opting to view her results and then going through short tutorials and additional opt-in, she opened her BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) Genetic Health Risk Report.* It changed her world forever.
“There it was. (one variant detected in) BRCA2 (gene). I knew what that was,” she said.
She knew what it meant. She knew having one of the risk variants in the BRCA2 gene was serious, but she also felt empowered by the knowledge. Instead of triggering dread, after clicking on her report and learning of her genetic risk, the information sparked action. Laura contacted her doctor and her OBGYN. What followed were discussions with her husband and her family. Then confirmatory tests, and discussions with her doctor and a genetic counselor, followed by some very big decisions.
But she knew what she had to do.
“I did the research. I read the numbers. They weren’t good,” she said.
Because she was over 45, the recommendations to substantially lower her risk were for the removal of her fallopian tubes and both ovaries and for her to consider the option of a double mastectomy. All of this was confirmed and scheduled within just four months of first opening her report.
“As a mother, wife, sister, daughter, and friend I have too much to live for. Too many people who count on me,” Laura said. “I have more to accomplish. More life to live. More adventures to take. I need to be here to watch my children grow up. I haven’t seen enough yet.”
<h6>Awareness</h6>
In talking about her decision, Laura said she remembered being moved by an opinion piece in the New York Times from a prominent actress from almost a decade ago. In the piece, the actress revealed she’d undergone a double prophylactic mastectomy after learning she had a BRCA mutation that put her at increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer. The actress’s mother had died of ovarian cancer, as had her aunt, and her public disclosure brought into sharp focus for many the risk of certain BRCA variants and the need for better screening.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Laura-markowski-photo-1-208x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="432" class="alignright wp-image-29909" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Laura-markowski-photo-1-208x300.jpg 208w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Laura-markowski-photo-1-768x1106.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Laura-markowski-photo-1-711x1024.jpg 711w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Laura-markowski-photo-1-611x880.jpg 611w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Laura-markowski-photo-1-820x1180.jpg 820w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Laura-markowski-photo-1.jpg 828w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
That story stuck with Laura.
And then there was one other thing that solidified for Laura that this was the right decision. It happened in the run-up to her surgery that was scheduled in July of 2021. In the pre-op testing, she underwent a breast MRI, and during the scan, they saw something suspicious. A biopsy revealed that Laura didn’t just have an increased risk for cancer, she had cancer.
“It is the call that nobody thinks they will ever get. It is the call that you are never prepared for. CANCER,” she said.
She already knew she was getting surgery done so it didn’t change what she was going to do, but it made it all more real. And perhaps even more impactful was the feeling that she, by chance, dodged a bullet.
“23andMe quite possibly saved my life,” she said.
<h6> Slipping through the Cracks</h6>
In talking to her doctor they both thought that the cancer had been so small that it likely wouldn’t have been picked up in her annual mammogram. She might not have known until it progressed to a much later stage when it would have been much harder to treat.
“I might not have ever known and then it would have been a much different outcome,” she said.
Laura’s story isn’t so unusual. Indeed, like Laura, many people who carry a BRCA risk variant are unaware of it until they’re diagnosed with cancer. Many don’t qualify for traditional clinical genetic testing, which centers on whether there is a personal or family history of cancer. In some cases, having Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry is also a criterion. Although Laura knew of her ancestry, many people don’t know that they have Ashkenazi ancestry or they don’t understand the significance of genetic ancestry to their health. 
In a study published two years ago in the journal<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-63466-x"> Scientific Reports</a>, 23andMe researchers found that many people with a BRCA variant are likely slipping through the cracks under current testing criteria. Another study by<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2703131"> researchers at Geisinger</a> reported that more than 80 percent of people with a BRCA variant did not know they have one.
<h6>More about BRCA</h6>
The 23andMe study found that about 44 percent of individuals who provided both ancestry and family health history information had no first-degree relative with a BRCA-related cancer. The researchers also found that 21 percent of individuals who had one of the three Ashkenazi Jewish BRCA1 or BRCA2 founder variants did not report having Jewish ancestry, but more than half did have detectable Ashkenazi genetic ancestry.
In the absence of a personal history of cancer, these individuals would have been unlikely to qualify for clinical genetic testing and would have been left unaware of their risk, according to the study.
While 23andMe’s BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) Genetic Health Risk Report,* only looks at three variants of the more than 1,000 BRCA variants known to convey risk, they are among the most studied.  The prevalence of these three variants is about 1 in 40 in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. In the general population, about 1 in 300 to 1 in 800 individuals has a BRCA variant, although typically not one of the three variants included in 23andMe’s report. Women with a BRCA variant have a 45-85 percent chance of developing breast cancer and up to a 46 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer by age 70. Men with a BRCA variant have an increased risk for male breast cancer and may have an increased risk for prostate cancer. Risk for certain other cancers may also be increased. (Here’s more about <a href="https://www.23andme.com/brca/">BRCA</a>.)
<h6>Knowledge is Power</h6>
But what happens when someone using 23andMe discovers an<a href="https://peerj.com/articles/8/"> unexpected BRCA</a> finding? 23andMe conducted a small study to look at that and found that those who learned they carried a risk variant generally took appropriate actions, talking to their doctors, and sharing their results with family and friends to ensure that they were aware of the potential inherited risk.
This was Laura’s experience.
She shared her story in part because she knows there are others like her out there.
“Knowledge truly is power,” she said. “Finding out I am BRCA positive gave me the chance to change my destiny… I know there must be others out there walking around in blissful ignorance like I was.”
<h6>Read More on BRCA:</h6>
<a href="https://www.23andme.com/brca/">Do You Speak BRCA?</a>
<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-customer-stories/action-for-health-brca/">Taking Action for Health, A BRCA Story</a>
<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/study-suggests-many-with-brca-variant-missed-by-current-screening-criteria/">New 23andMe BRCA Study Published</a>
<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-customer-stories/brca1-risk/">23andMe Alerted Me to My BRCA1 Variant</a>
<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/brca1/">The Gift of Knowing</a>
<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-customer-stories/laura-breast-cancer-awareness/">Raising Awareness about Breast Cancer</a>
<hr />
*The 23andMe PGS test uses qualitative genotyping to detect select clinically relevant variants in the genomic DNA of adults from saliva for the purpose of reporting and interpreting genetic health risks, including the 23andMe PGS Genetic Health Risk Report for BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants). Your ethnicity may affect the relevance of each report and how your genetic health risk results are interpreted. The test is not intended to diagnose any disease and does not describe a person’s overall risk of developing any type of cancer. It is not intended to tell you anything about your current state of health, or to be used to make medical decisions, including whether or not you should take a medication, how much of a medication you should take, or determine any treatments. Warnings &amp; Limitations: The 23andMe PGS Genetic Health RIsk Report for BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants) is indicated for reporting of the 185delAG and 5382insC variants in the BRCA1 gene and the 6174delT variant in the BRCA2 gene. The report describes if a woman is at increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, and if a man is at increased risk of developing breast cancer or may be at increased risk of developing prostate cancer.  The three variants included in this report are most common in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent and do not represent the majority of BRCA1/BRCA2 variants in the general population. This report does not include variants in other genes linked to hereditary cancers and the absence of variants included in this report does not rule out the presence of other genetic variants that may impact cancer risk. The PGS test is not a substitute for visits to a healthcare professional for recommended screenings or appropriate follow-up. Results should be confirmed in a clinical setting before taking any medical action.

After the Click, Knowing BRCA, Laura’s Story

23andMe was founded with a mission: to help all people access, understand, and benefit from the human genome.
&nbsp;An inclusive, equitable workplace is essential to that mission. While our company is based on the recognition that we’re all linked by a common genetic thread, we celebrate our differences. We know that unique experiences and perspectives fuel innovation and create solutions that work for everyone.
&nbsp;We developed a four-pillar framework two years ago to guide and advance our diversity efforts. As part of these efforts, we committed to annually sharing our hiring and staff composition data and highlighting areas where we’ve fallen short. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-29897 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/company-overall-e1669683045572.png" alt="company dei statistics" width="1526" height="1060" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/company-overall-e1669683045572.png 1526w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/company-overall-e1669683045572-300x208.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/company-overall-e1669683045572-768x533.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/company-overall-e1669683045572-1024x711.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/company-overall-e1669683045572-880x611.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/company-overall-e1669683045572-1180x820.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1526px) 100vw, 1526px" />
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-29902 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/gender_stem_use.png" alt="gender in STEM" width="1384" height="1038" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/gender_stem_use.png 1384w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/gender_stem_use-300x225.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/gender_stem_use-768x576.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/gender_stem_use-1024x768.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/gender_stem_use-880x660.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/gender_stem_use-1180x885.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1384px) 100vw, 1384px" />
An Overview
The <a href="https://www.23andme.com/diversity-equity-inclusion/#workforce">latest numbers</a> suggest that our staff is becoming more diverse. Twenty percent of our new hires come from communities where we traditionally lack representation. In our workforce, women comprise 46 percent of our STEM positions and more than half of our non-STEM employees.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-29904" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/overall-representation-data.png" alt="overall representation data" width="540" height="303" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/overall-representation-data.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/overall-representation-data-300x168.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px" />
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-29901" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/New-Hire-Representation-by-Proportion.png" alt="New Hire Representation by Proportion" width="590" height="364" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/New-Hire-Representation-by-Proportion.png 685w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/New-Hire-Representation-by-Proportion-300x185.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px" />
But the numbers also show that we still have work to do. We saw fewer employees identifying as Latinx and increased attrition rates among other underrepresented groups so far in 2022, including Black employees. 
<h6>New Hires and Workforce Representation</h6>
In 2021, we set a goal to ensure that 20 percent of our new hires come from communities where we lack representation. We’re proud to say we reached that goal.
We saw an <a href="https://www.23andme.com/diversity-equity-inclusion/">increase</a> in the overall representation of underrepresented groups within our workforce, with the total percentage increasing from 12.5 percent to 13.7 percent. However, we also identified a decrease in the Latinx&nbsp;group due to attrition.
We also made modest progress in our leadership ranks, especially with regard to representation from underrepresented groups. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-29905 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/leadership-data-use.png" alt="leadership data" width="1392" height="1044" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/leadership-data-use.png 1392w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/leadership-data-use-300x225.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/leadership-data-use-768x576.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/leadership-data-use-1024x768.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/leadership-data-use-880x660.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/leadership-data-use-1180x885.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1392px) 100vw, 1392px" />
<h6>Building a Pipeline&nbsp;</h6>
We’re committed to continuing this momentum by investing in programs and partnerships that help attract diverse job candidates and grow our talent pool.&nbsp;
We’ve partnered with <a href="https://www.sacnas.org/">SACNAS</a>, a non-profit dedicated to fostering the success of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in STEM. We attend their annual conferences and have hosted panels for graduate student members of SACNAS who are interested in moving from academia to industry.&nbsp;
And each year, we invite Bay Area high school students from <a href="https://streetcode.org/">StreetCode Academy</a> to visit our company and learn more about our work.&nbsp;
We’re also deepening our relationships with organizations that serve underrepresented communities by attending and recruiting at events like the <a href="https://disabilityin.org/2022conference/">Disability:IN</a> conference and <a href="https://afrotech.com/">AfroTech</a>. 
<h6>Equitable Hiring&nbsp;</h6>
We’re paying close attention to how we assess talent at each step of the hiring process.&nbsp;
We’ve increased candidate referral bonuses and assembled diverse interview panels. And we’ve recently added a Diversity Recruiting Program Manager who will oversee our hiring goals. 
<h6>Renewed Focus on Retention</h6>
We’re not just interested in attracting talent; we’re also committed to ensuring our employees stay and thrive. Though we’ve made progress in hiring, our retention numbers aren’t where we want them to be. We’re sharing this information with our leaders so they are better positioned to be deliberate about retention efforts.&nbsp;
We’ve implemented several policies to address this and have leveraged new resources to improve the employee experience. We’ve maximized our remote work options and are revisiting relocation and education reimbursement benefits. And our 10 Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are instrumental in creating inclusion and a sense of belonging. 
<h6>Expanding our Definition of Diversity</h6>
We acknowledge that this data set only shows diversity through the lens of race and ethnicity. We’re committed to expanding our data to include demographics such as age and disability. This will help to give us a more complete picture of our workforce.&nbsp;
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-29896 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/age-e1669683566969.png" alt="age data" width="1097" height="987" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/age-e1669683566969.png 1097w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/age-e1669683566969-300x270.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/age-e1669683566969-768x691.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/age-e1669683566969-1024x921.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/age-e1669683566969-880x792.png 880w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1097px) 100vw, 1097px" />
<h6><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-29898" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/disability-e1669683607256.png" alt="disability data" width="943" height="1024" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/disability-e1669683607256.png 943w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/disability-e1669683607256-276x300.png 276w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/disability-e1669683607256-768x834.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/disability-e1669683607256-810x880.png 810w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px" />What’s Next</h6>
Going forward, we’ll continue to approach diversity, equity, and inclusion in the same way we approach scientific discovery: as a work in progress that requires continual collaboration, rigor, creativity, and accountability.
As our CEO Anne Wojcicki <a href="https://www.23andme.com/black-lives-matter/">wrote</a> in 2020, “The best thing we can do is lead by example and impact all the lives connected to 23andMe. That means looking at our culture, evaluating our partnerships, and taking a deeper look at our product. In the spirit of our core values, ‘we will make mistakes, but we will learn from them and keep blazing forward.’”

An Update on Our Hiring Data

There might be something to the saying, “you’ve got the music in you.”
A new genetic <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-022-01359-x">study</a> in the journal Nature Human Behavior led by researchers at Vanderbilt University and 23andMe found more than 60 regions of the genome associated with beat synchronization, the ability to move in time with the beat of music. 
Many of the variants are in or near genes involved in neural function and early brain development. In addition, the researchers found that <a href="http://35.88.189.111/articles/rhythm-and-musical-traits">beat synchronization</a> shares some of the same genetic architecture involved in biological rhythms such as walking, breathing, and circadian patterns.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="562" height="161" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Melody.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-18332" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Melody.jpg 562w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Melody-300x86.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 562px) 100vw, 562px" /></figure>
 
<h6>The Musical Glue</h6>
The study, the first large-scale genome-wide association study of a musical trait, is part of a broader effort by researchers at Vanderbilt to understand the relationship between language, music, and the brain. Scientists are using a variety of methods to better understand the associations between musicality and different cognitive, neurological, personality, and health traits.
Whether you find yourself singing and moving to the beat of your favorite song at a concert, singing a classic nursery rhyme with your toddler, or dancing along to the bass in a Zumba class, rhythm is so fundamental to music and automatic to our engagement with music that we usually don’t even think about it.
<div id="attachment_29887" style="width: 222px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29887" class="size-medium wp-image-29887" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Gordon_Reyna_2_0-212x300.jpeg" alt="" width="212" height="300" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Gordon_Reyna_2_0-212x300.jpeg 212w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Gordon_Reyna_2_0-622x880.jpeg 622w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Gordon_Reyna_2_0-768x1086.jpeg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Gordon_Reyna_2_0-724x1024.jpeg 724w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Gordon_Reyna_2_0-835x1180.jpeg 835w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Gordon_Reyna_2_0-scaled.jpeg 1811w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 212px) 100vw, 212px" />Reyna Gordon, Ph.D, &#8211; (Photo: John Russell/Vanderbilt University)</div>
The ability to synchronize with the beat of rhythms in music is at the core of musicality in humans, whether it’s someone tapping along to music on the radio while driving to work, a group of indigenous people in the Amazon clapping or drumming in communal ritual, the ability to move in time a rhythm is ubiquitous.
“Rhythm is the quintessential glue holding together music, and music is a bond in all human cultures,” said Reyna Gordon, Ph.D., the senior author of the study and an associate professor and director of the Music Cognition Lab in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head &amp; Neck Surgery and the Vanderbilt Genetics Institute at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Gordon co-led the study with fellow Vanderbilt associate professor Lea Davis, Ph.D.,  research instructor Maria Niarchou, Ph.D., and a team of international collaborators.
<h6>Music and Language </h6>
But rhythm and the ability to move in time with a beat are also about more than just making music; there is evidence that rhythm also supports language development and social communication. Furthermore, these new results are beginning to shed light on how our biology contributes to something as culturally unique and intricate as our musicality. Musical behaviors and preferences can be strongly influenced by both culture and genetics. 
Twin studies indicate that perhaps as much as 40 percent of the population’s variability in musical ability is due to genetic factors. But this is not a simple gene versus environment equation. For instance, genetics may influence certain traits by drawing individuals to seek out cultural or interpersonal experiences such as music training or music listening. 
Studying the complexity of those possible genetic influences on musical traits is only now possible with very large numbers of people participating in this research. 
<h6>Very Large Study</h6>
Rhythm and beat synchronization are fundamental components of music-making. The beat is the steady pulse that we feel in music, whereas the rhythmic patterns of music tend to be organized around that beat. Many different genes each have a small part to play in the genetic chorus that influences beat perception and synchronization.  
Finding those genetic associations for beat synchronization demands a large sample size. In this case, the researchers used data from more than 600,000 23ndMe customers who consented to participate in the research. They each answered a survey question about whether they had the ability to “clap in time with a musical beat.” 
From that data, researchers were able to identify 69 genetic loci associated with beat synchronization.
<h6>Online Methods</h6>
In a part of the study led by Dr. Nori Jacoby at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics in Frankfurt, the team did additional work with what are called phenotype validation experiments, to confirm that the single survey item was an accurate reflection of people’s beat synchronization skills. These experiments included an online test that required participants to tap a laptop in time with the beat of musical excerpts, and they also tested how people responded to differences in musical rhythms. These results helped to determine that the survey item was a good proxy for measuring beat synchronization and rhythm abilities, thus boosting confidence in the genetic association results. 
These new findings are thought to represent a major leap forward in our scientific understanding of the links between genomics and musicality. 
“Musical beat processing has intriguing links to other aspects of cognition including speech processing, and plays a key role in the positive effect of music on certain neurological disorders, including on gait in Parkinson&#8217;s disease,” said Aniruddh D. Patel, Professor of Psychology at Tufts University, an expert not involved in the study. 
Using such a large dataset allows researchers to find new insights into the biology and evolutionary foundations of musicality, Dr. Patel said.
“While recent years have seen a growth in neuroscientific and developmental work on beat processing, the current study takes the biological study of beat processing to a new level,” he added.
<h6>The Music We Speak</h6>
There are limitations to the study. For one, it only measures one aspect of musicality, and it cannot be used to predict individual musical ability. The study is also limited in that it was done primarily in people of European ancestry and does not capture potential beat synchronization genetic associations within other populations. Several members of the authorship team have also put forth <a href="https://psyarxiv.com/dyn6e/">a set of guidelines for ethically and socially responsible conduct of musicality genetics</a> and urge the research community and broader public to understand the broader social context of this work.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-29888" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Beat-GettyImages-561165061-300x240.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="240" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Beat-GettyImages-561165061-300x240.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Beat-GettyImages-561165061.jpg 661w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Still, the research is an important first step in understanding the genetics of musicality and has become a cornerstone for continued research by combining two unique resources of 23andMe and Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s BioVU research database. 
Using the variants identified in this study, Dr. Gordon and her team were able to create a statistical model, known as a polygenic score. They were then able to test the predictive ability of that beat synchronization polygenic score by applying it to musically active patients in the BioVU database in comparison with a control population. The findings showed that the polygenic score could distinguish the musically active patients from the controls, further validating the genetic association results.
The study has also allowed the team to explore a potential link with the evolution of language traits. So for example, Dr. Gordon, along with scientists from 23andMe, recently completed a study linking the genomic signatures of human <a href="https://pure.mpg.de/rest/items/item_3325775_2/component/file_3337272/content">beat synchronization and vocal learning in songbird</a>s. This study suggests convergent evolution between two very distinct traits: moving to a musical beat and learning complex vocal sequences. These research directions may pave the way to new knowledge on the origins of communication skills. This in turn adds a new dimension to emerging evidence that musical rhythm skills and language skills share some properties in the brain. 
You can read a helpful FAQ prepared by Dr. Gordon and her team <a href="https://www.vumc.org/music-cognition-lab/FAQbeatGWAS">here</a>.

We Got the Beat

This week, we released a new report Powered by 23andMe Research on Rosacea for 23andMe+ members.
Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that typically affects the central parts of the face.
It is commonly characterized by flushing, redness, and visible blood vessels, but symptoms can vary; some individuals experience irritation or inflammation of the eyes or eyelids, while others experience thickened skin on the nose.
Symptoms may also come and go in response to environmental triggers.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-29849 size-medium" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/rosacea_use2-300x263.png" alt="Rosacea causes" width="300" height="263" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/rosacea_use2-300x263.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/rosacea_use2.png 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<h2>Understanding Rosacea</h2>
It is<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29478264/"> estimated </a>that around 5 percent of adults have rosacea. 
It is more prevalent among older adults, females, and individuals with family histories of the condition.
The exact cause is not well understood. Evidence suggests that genetics and inflammation caused by an overactive immune system may play a role. Other factors may also contribute to risk, including overreactive blood vessels that dilate too easily, sensitivity to microorganisms that naturally live on the skin, and an imbalance of natural bacteria that live in the gut.
<h2>Research on rosacea</h2>
Current research aims to understand rosacea and identify therapies that can help.
In 2015, scientists from 23andMe and Stanford University School of Medicine <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/the-genetics-of-rosacea/">identified</a> two genetic variants strongly associated with rosacea among people of European ancestry. 
One of these markers can be found near genes involved with other conditions, such as diabetes and celiac disease. Another sits between BTNL2 and HLA-DRA, genes associated with histocompatibility and immune response.
Later research from 23andMe and GlaxoSmithKline also <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/new-genetic-associations-for-rosacea-found/">unearthed</a> seven gene regions associated with rosacea symptom severity.
<h2>A new report</h2>
Our new report is powered by data from consented 23andMe research participants and uses machine-learning techniques to estimate an individual’s likelihood of developing rosacea.
This estimate uses a statistical model that includes 14,154 genetic markers and information on an individual’s ethnicity and birth sex.
<h2>Managing rosacea</h2>
There is no cure for rosacea, but individuals can manage it by identifying and avoiding triggers, like sunlight and emotional stress, and by working with a healthcare professional to consider other treatments like medications and light-based therapies.
Simple lifestyle changes can also help. For people with rosacea, it is especially important to protect the face from UV light, use gentle skin cleansers, and moisturize regularly.  Counseling and support groups can also help with feelings of embarrassment or depression that can arise from the condition.
<h2>Learn more</h2>
23andMe’s new Rosacea report (Powered by 23andMe Research) is available to all annual members of the 23andMe+ Membership. To view your report, go <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/prs.rosacea/">here</a>.
Not an annual subscriber to the 23andMe+ Membership?
Find out more <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/">here</a>.

New 23andMe+ Report on Rosacea

Father’s Day has a little more significance this year for Rick, a 53-year-old real estate agent in Key West.
Thanks to 23andMe, the lifelong bachelor learned late last year that he had a daughter, Baylee, a 32-year-old mother of two young girls.
“I am a dad and grandfather and no one had any idea,” Rick said.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_1735-300x225.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-29812" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_1735-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_1735-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_1735-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_1735-880x660.jpeg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_1735-1180x885.jpeg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<h6>No One Else Would Know</h6>
Baylee was conceived when Rick was 19 and her mom was 18. It’d been a brief encounter. Baylee’s mom thought the father was someone else. Rick had moved away for work and had no idea. He never had any other contact with Baylee’s mom. He’s still a little stunned, and yet thankful. It had all happened so fast. In early October of 2021, Rick received an unexpected message from a stranger, Baylee. They then exchanged texts about her 23andMe results, and Baylee asked Rick a few questions he thought were odd. But just as Rick was getting ready to delete the whole exchange, she mentioned a few things “no one else would know.”
<h6>This is Your Daughter</h6>
Instead of ending the conversation, they continued it the next day. First through social media channels and then a phone call. Beyond some of the details and dates, there were photos, including one in particular showing Baylee as a young girl sleeping with her mouth open. It looked almost exactly like a photo Rick had of himself at that same age, sleeping.
The photo gave him goosebumps. “It could have been me,” he said.
Rick’s mother was pretty sure this was indeed his daughter. So was he, but he wanted to be sure, so he and Baylee took a paternity test.
A few days later he got a call.
“This is your daughter,” Baylee said.
<h6>Live Changing</h6>
For Baylee it was equally unexpected. When she used 23andMe, her interest was in learning more about her health.
“This experience has been a life-changing one for me,” she said.
She hadn’t been looking for family. She’d grown up thinking her biological father was someone else, but that man didn’t want anything to do with her, she said. Her mom had met another man, named Carl, and married him. Carl raised her since she was a toddler and she thinks of him as her dad, but at the same time she felt like the black sheep in the family.
<div id="attachment_29813" style="width: 285px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29813" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_3038-169x300.jpg" alt="" width="275" height="489" class="wp-image-29813" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_3038-169x300.jpg 169w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_3038-768x1365.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_3038-576x1024.jpg 576w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_3038-495x880.jpg 495w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_3038-664x1180.jpg 664w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_3038.jpg 1152w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 275px) 100vw, 275px" />Father and daughter for the first time during their meeting in Seattle. </div>
“I have always felt so different from my family like I was the odd sibling out, I looked different, I acted differently and the way I love is different,” Baylee said. 
<h6>Get with the Program</h6>
After connecting on the phone with Baylee, Rick suddenly felt it all sink in. He had a daughter and the emotion welled up in him and he started to cry.
Rick had a full life. He was happy. But this was something different.
“You know, I’ve been a bachelor all my life,” he said.
It wasn’t just that. He was an only child and grew up without contact with his own biological father. And then while all around him his friends got married and started families of their own, he was on the sidelines.
“They were all ‘get with the program Rick,’” he said.
He was good with kids, kind of the fun adult who liked to play and be silly with his friends’ children. But he never settled down. Little did he know he’d been a father all along.
“For a while, I partied maybe more than I should have but I’m 14 years sober now,” he said. “And I think maybe whatever greater power that’s out there was waiting for the right time for both of us. I don’t know if I’d been ready if this had happened earlier in my life. I’m not sure how I would’ve handled it if I was still drinking.”
&nbsp;
[vc_video link=&#8221;https://youtube.com/shorts/_q-QLz534zQ?feature=share&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221;]
<h6>Accepted and Loved</h6>
But he also wanted to make up for the lost time. Almost immediately he arranged to visit Baylee, and flew to Seattle to meet in person.
“Being called ‘dad’ affected me to my core, and to see someone look like me after having no brothers or sisters or kids, it was a lot,” he said.
Hugging and seeing her in person for the first time was one of the happiest moments of his life but also uncanny. Baylee’s husband, who is in the Army, started noticing how the two shared different traits and mannerisms, from the way they smiled to the way they both got “<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/hangry-like-the-wolf/">hangry</a>” if they were hungry, or couldn’t take it if they could hear someone chewing. (It’s a thing, called “<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/something-to-chew-on/">misophonia</a>,’ and it has a<a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/misophonia/"> genetic component</a>.)
Rick also felt protective of Baylee. For one, he related to the need she’d had to connect with her birth father because he’d tried when he was younger to connect with his birth father and they spoke on the phone twice, but his birth father never reciprocated. Rick just let it go and they never spoke again. He knows how it feels not to find a connection with a birth parent. He also knew that Baylee, who was a good mom to her young daughters, struggled with some health issues. That was one of the reasons she’d used 23andMe in the first place. She was trying to learn more about her health.
“Baylee is a strong lady but she wanted to meet her daddy and feel loved and accepted,” Rick said. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Rick-and-Baylee-3-1-300x168.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="168" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-29816" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Rick-and-Baylee-3-1-300x168.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Rick-and-Baylee-3-1-768x431.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Rick-and-Baylee-3-1-1024x574.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Rick-and-Baylee-3-1-880x494.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Rick-and-Baylee-3-1.jpg 1125w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<h6>Blessed</h6>
Rick’s visit helped Baylee suddenly understand a little bit more about herself.
“After meeting Rick I found out where I get a lot of my personality from,” she said.
He was able to spend time with her and her husband Josh and their daughters Nevaeh and Jurnee. It was as if it was meant to be.
“We all took to him well and felt like this wasn&#8217;t the first-time meeting,” Baylee said. “It felt so natural for myself and my daughters.
In December of 2021, Baylee went to visit Rick in Key West, getting an opportunity to met his family, now her family, for the first time.
“It was wonderful and I was filled with love and acceptance,” Baylee said. “I must say how lucky am I too have gained so much love and family.”
And she struggles a bit to describe everything she’s feeling.
“It’s hard to say much about this experience because there are so many different kinds of emotions and feelings,” Baylee said. “But the word that come to my mind is “blessed.”
<h6>Best Gift Ever</h6>
<div style="float: right; text-align: justified; width: 275px; background-color: #eee; padding: 15px; margin-left: 10px;">What’s Your Story?
<p style="margin-top: 0in; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Like our DNA, our stories connect us. They can also inspire, entertain and empower us. Thousands of 23andMe customers have already shared their stories with us. 
<p style="margin-top: 0in; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">If you have a story to share, we would love to hear it. Just click right <a href="https://www.23andme.com/stories/#form">here to shar</a>e.
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Rick wanted to give Baylee the kind of acceptance and love she deserved.
When Baylee traveled to Key West, they built upon that first meeting, understanding that none of this is automatic. Building a true family relationship will take time, something both of them want to do.
For Rick, learning he was a father, and grandfather and then meeting and building that relationship has been a gift.
“I had life challenges but I got sober and I’m grateful for all that. I had a blessed life, and then to be given family,” he said. “It felt like hitting the lottery. Now I know what it’s like when people say ‘my heart is full.’”
Happy Father’s Day, Rick! We&#8217;ve been watching this video of you two hugging for the first time over and over again.

Best Father’s Day Gift Ever

In the interest of clarity and transparency, 23andMe has made some improvements to its <a href="https://www.23andme.com/legal/privacy/">Privacy pages</a>. We’re really excited to share the details of the changes in the Privacy Statement in particular. 
We’ve simplified the language within our Privacy Statement, Terms of Service, and other legal documents with the goal of making them easier to understand and more accessible. 
These improvements don’t change the substance of our Privacy Statement (or Terms of Service); instead, they simplify how we communicate the ways in which your data is stored, used, and protected at 23andMe, or how you can use the Services. We encourage you to take a look, but below is a short overview of some highlights.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="524" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Privacy-Feature-Image-Wide-1024x524.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29797" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Privacy-Feature-Image-Wide-1024x524.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Privacy-Feature-Image-Wide-300x154.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Privacy-Feature-Image-Wide-768x393.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Privacy-Feature-Image-Wide-880x451.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Privacy-Feature-Image-Wide-1180x604.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Privacy-Feature-Image-Wide.jpg 1562w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
<h6>What You’ll Find</h6>
The new Privacy Statement <a href="https://www.23andme.com/privacy/">landing page</a> offers a hub from which it is easy to quickly find and navigate to specific areas of privacy, whether you want to learn how 23andMe handles <a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/cookies/">cookies</a> or <a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/biobanking/">biobanking</a>, or how we comply with <a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/california-privacy/">California consumer privacy laws</a>.
The Privacy pages also highlight some of the privacy-related choices a customer can make and what each of those choices means. For example, we explain what choices you have regarding the storage of your biological sample, participation in features like DNA Relatives, or participation in 23andMe’s groundbreaking Research program.
Those decisions are all up to the customer (you!). That’s because transparency and choice are the cornerstones of our privacy commitment to you.
<h6>Going Long or Going Deep</h6>
Some of us want to spend a long time and read through everything, while others just want the highlights. These new pages honor both of those choices.
Each section has a short and clear overview and, where relevant, links to full policies or documents that contain more detail. We’ve also broken up the topics in the left-hand navigation bar into subjects we believe customers care most about, such as the types of data we collect, who we share it with, or what it means to consent to Research. 
And each page is designed to make it visually easier to find things, including noting where to go to change your privacy settings or delete your account entirely if that’s what you want to do.
&nbsp;

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="380" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Two-Factor-Privacy-Settings-e1654527633530-1024x380.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29798" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Two-Factor-Privacy-Settings-e1654527633530-1024x380.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Two-Factor-Privacy-Settings-e1654527633530-300x111.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Two-Factor-Privacy-Settings-e1654527633530-768x285.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Two-Factor-Privacy-Settings-e1654527633530-880x327.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Two-Factor-Privacy-Settings-e1654527633530-1180x438.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Two-Factor-Privacy-Settings-e1654527633530.jpg 1556w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
<h6>Defining Certain Words</h6>
Simplifying language is important and we did a lot of that in creating these new pages, but some privacy-related terms are still not words we use every day.
That’s why we’ve added explanations about different terms with visuals.
So, when we mention “Personal Information,” we explain what it means in the context of privacy. Personal Information refers to data that personally identifies you. And we explain the difference between “individual-level data” versus “de-identified data” in writing and visuals. We also explain what  “aggregate information” means in the same way. 
<h6>Part of Our DNA</h6>
At 23andMe, privacy is in our DNA. It’s part of everything we do. These updates are meant to make it easier to understand and learn about how we protect and secure our customers&#8217; data every day.
Find out more <a href="https://www.23andme.com/privacy/">here</a>.

An image of a lock a computer, DNA and a mobile phone representing security protections.

Privacy Simplified

By Jey McCreight, Ph.D.
I keep hoping for the right moment to write this Pride 2022 blog post—the moment when the news isn’t all about another piece of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, systematic efforts to roll back LGBTQ+ rights, or even attacks on my very right to exist. Because I do exist, and gay and trans people like me have existed throughout recorded history. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-29799 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/1080x1080-Pride-Month-1-e1654117746196.png" alt="" width="842" height="839" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/1080x1080-Pride-Month-1-e1654117746196.png 842w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/1080x1080-Pride-Month-1-e1654117746196-150x150.png 150w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/1080x1080-Pride-Month-1-e1654117746196-300x300.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/1080x1080-Pride-Month-1-e1654117746196-768x765.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/1080x1080-Pride-Month-1-e1654117746196-271x271.png 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/1080x1080-Pride-Month-1-e1654117746196-372x372.png 372w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 842px) 100vw, 842px" />
But I’ve realized something. The right moment will not come anytime soon.
<h6>Under Attack</h6>
The LGBTQ+ community is under attack in a way many of us have never experienced in our lifetimes, and others hoped they would never see again. We are witnessing a systematic effort to roll back LGBTQ+ rights to a time where teachers could be fired for being gay and “conversion therapy” wasn’t recognized for the abuse it is. What we are watching unfold is a campaign to stop LGBTQ+ people from existing.
This is not only obviously morally wrong, but is literally impossible scientifically. LGBTQ people are a natural part of human diversity. Regardless of how many laws strip away our rights, queer people will continue to be born. We have existed throughout human history and will continue to exist.
What will change is how we exist. And here at 23andMe — where we celebrate the diversity of humankind — we believe that existence deserves to be healthy and happy, just like everyone else on this planet. As a health company, we cannot stay silent while a torrential downpour of anti-LGBTQ+ hatred hurts people both physically and emotionally.
<h6>Support</h6>
23andMe unequivocally supports our LGBTQ+ employees, customers, family, and friends. They deserve access to proper health care, including gender-affirming care. They deserve the ability to bring their whole selves to work, school, and the world without hiding their true selves. They deserve to use the bathroom without fearing physical assault. They deserve to feel safe and loved.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-29800 size-full" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/v-1-e1654117691902.png" alt="" width="977" height="801" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/v-1-e1654117691902.png 977w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/v-1-e1654117691902-300x246.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/v-1-e1654117691902-768x630.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/v-1-e1654117691902-880x721.png 880w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 977px) 100vw, 977px" />
We understand that we have room to improve as well, especially around trans-inclusive language in our reports. We have heard your feedback and are actively working on improvements. Please continue <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/requests/new">providing feedback</a> and holding us accountable, because change happens with your help.
We hope that you’ll join us in taking action to support LGBTQ+ rights and health. Please look up what <a href="https://www.aclu.org/legislation-affecting-lgbtq-rights-across-country">anti-LGBTQ legislation is happening in your state</a>, contact your representatives, and <a href="https://vote.gov/">vote</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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