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This happened to me at a very large publicly traded tech company. After being offered a position, they had to consider more diverse candidates. After a month of "searching" they hired me.

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I always decline to answer race/sexuality/gender/veteran status/disabled status applications when applying.

If you decline to answer someone in their internal team manually inserts the answers for you based on your appearance.

I feel astonished at this. Really?

I've been told by HR folks they are required by law to do so in some contexts in the US.

I can't speak to the truth of that assertion but they definitely believed it was the case.

I sure can identify myself as whatever sexuality and gender, right? Can I do the same with race? Or do they perform DNA tests/skull measurements?

You can absolutely turn up to the interview and claim a bunch of protected characteristics you don't have. I would wager it is not going to increase your chances of being hired.

Did they hire you in the end because they were biased/racist/sexist or because you were the best candidate?

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