working on Skyrim Special Edition (SE) version 1.5.97 , you must use RaceMenu v0-4-16

If you have the correct versions but still don't see the RaceMenu sliders: Delete Conflicting UI Files : Navigate to Data/Interface in your Skyrim folder and delete the file racesex_menu.swf

The golden rule for 1.5.97 is version 0.4.16. Later versions (0.4.19.x and up) are exclusively for game versions 1.6+. RaceMenu Version: v0-4-16 (Released Oct 4, 2020).

SKSE64: Use Version 2.0.17 or 2.0.19, which are designated for runtime 1.5.97.

RaceMenu Versions: Which One for 1.5.97?

This is where most users get confused. When you go to the RaceMenu Nexus Mods page, you see multiple main files. To make RaceMenu work on Skyrim SE v1.5.97, you need the version that corresponds to your SKSE build.

Why someone might use 1.5.97 specifically