use/play the race/gender card

idiom

: to make a claim that race/gender was unjustly considered as a reason for the way a person was treated

She was accused of playing the race card to defend her client.

She used/played the gender card and said we didn't hire her because she's a woman.

Examples of use/play the race/gender card in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That was frequent, the source of much poverty, and one reason why politicians who play the race card prohibit teaching critical race theory. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2024