--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The funny thing is, when I ask people…" description: "\"The funny thing is, when I ask people with dark skin if they would change their color, they tell me no, and when I ask women if they would rather be me..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/alice-dreger-14333_ask_the-funny-thing-is-when-i-ask-people-wit_990026.jpg" --- # The funny thing is, when I ask people with dark skin if… ![“The funny thing is, when I ask people with dark skin if they would change their color, they tell me no, and when I ask women if they would rather be men, they tell me no, and I get the same response when I ask people with unusual anatomies if they would take a magic pill to erase their unusual…” quote by Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/alice-dreger-14333_ask_the-funny-thing-is-when-i-ask-people-wit_990026.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/alice-dreger-14333_ask_the-funny-thing-is-when-i-ask-people-wit_990026.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/alice-dreger-14333_ask_the-funny-thing-is-when-i-ask-people-wit_990026.jpg) > “The funny thing is, when I ask people with dark skin if they would change their color, they tell me no, and when I ask women if they would rather be men, they tell me no, and I get the same response when I ask people with unusual anatomies if they would take a magic pill to erase their unusual features.” [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often reject altering fundamental aspects of identity despite societal pressure, revealing deep attachment to self. **In simple terms:** People resist changing core identity traits. Key Takeaway Respect inherent identity. Themes identity acceptance social pressure Mood thoughtful empathetic Type philosophical social commentary When to use this quote - counseling - diversity training - policy making - personal reflection - media representation Key Concepts psychology self-concept gender race body image Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of identity are truly immutable? - How does societal pressure influence self‑acceptance? A Different Perspective Changing identity may not address underlying discrimination. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Dark skin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-skin/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Skin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skin/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [During the Hollywood studio system, they looked for people who were unusual. The stars had peculiarities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bogdanovich/during-the-hollywood-studio-system-they-looked-for-people-who-were/) [Peter Bogdanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bogdanovich/) > [The task of the excellent teacher is to stimulate 'apparently ordinary' people to unusual effort. The tough problem is not in identifying winners: it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-patricia-cross/the-task-of-the-excellent-teacher-is-to-stimulate-apparently-ordinary/) [K. 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It's far more important and interesting for women to talk about their work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laetitia-casta/i-don-t-understand-why-women-journalists-always-ask-women-about/) [Laetitia Casta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laetitia-casta/) > [When you ask women what's the one thing they wish they had more of, they always say time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aerin-lauder/when-you-ask-women-what-s-the-one-thing-they-wish-they-had-more-of/) [Aerin Lauder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aerin-lauder/) > [My thing about gender-based violence is to bring in the men. Because people would ask women, 'What do you think we should do to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zozibini-tunzi/my-thing-about-gender-based-violence-is-to-bring-in-the-men-because/) [Zozibini Tunzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zozibini-tunzi/) > [You can't ask the women to do anymore. 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Not unless they’re ready to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-fantaskey/gentlemen-don-t-ask-women-impertinent-questions-about-delicate/) [Beth Fantaskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-fantaskey/) > [“I'm not a guru. I wish you wouldn't pose these things at me, man. Ask me about women or something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-m-not-a-guru-i-wish-you-wouldn-t-pose-these-things-at-me-man-ask-me/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“You cannot ask women to marry you whom you barely know.' 'Why not?' he asked. Compatibility is not something one discovers after five encounters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eloisa-james/you-cannot-ask-women-to-marry-you-whom-you-barely-know-why-not-he/) [Eloisa James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eloisa-james/) ## More by Alice Dreger > [You want a child who never makes you anything but proud? Please. Don't bother taking on parenthood if you can't handle the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/you-want-a-child-who-never-makes-you-anything-but-proud-please-don-t/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [Regardless of the cultural system, social pressure to appear straight seems to be fairly intense cross-culturally. Indeed, one is inclined to wonder, if being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/regardless-of-the-cultural-system-social-pressure-to-appear-straight/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [Fact-checking doesn't exist primarily because some of us are liars and cheats. It exists because writers will be writers, much as they may mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/fact-checking-doesn-t-exist-primarily-because-some-of-us-are-liars/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [We don't really know where human sexual orientations come from yet. What we do know is that the evidence we have that sexual orientation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/we-don-t-really-know-where-human-sexual-orientations-come-from-yet/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [Using medicine in the service of cosmesis is generally bad for patients, bad for doctors, and bad for democracy. The only exceptions are when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/using-medicine-in-the-service-of-cosmesis-is-generally-bad-for/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [Doctors are human animals. They want to be loved, they are tribal, they instinctually favor stories over scientific evidence, they make mistakes, and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/doctors-are-human-animals-they-want-to-be-loved-they-are-tribal-they/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [If we have a situation where a man is particularly graceful in a sport that rewards grace - say, for example, figure skating -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/if-we-have-a-situation-where-a-man-is-particularly-graceful-in-a/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [So many times I've heard people say that the right to marry for gay and lesbian couples won't really change anything other than some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/so-many-times-i-ve-heard-people-say-that-the-right-to-marry-for-gay/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [Instead of constantly enhancing the norm - forever upping the ante of the 'normal' with new technologies - we should work on enhancing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/instead-of-constantly-enhancing-the-norm-forever-upping-the-ante-of/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [A hospital may spend several million dollars separating a pair of conjoined twins even though that separation is likely to leave them worse off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/a-hospital-may-spend-several-million-dollars-separating-a-pair-of/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [A democratic medical establishment does not alter people's bodies to fit regressive social norms; it advocates for patients by demanding the social body get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/a-democratic-medical-establishment-does-not-alter-people-s-bodies-to/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [We now know that sex is complicated enough that we have to admit nature doesn't draw the line for us between male and female,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/we-now-know-that-sex-is-complicated-enough-that-we-have-to-admit/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [The safety argument against steroids may be a good one, but let's be honest. It isn't the one that motivates most officials and fans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/the-safety-argument-against-steroids-may-be-a-good-one-but-let-s-be/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [Doctors and scientists, being part of that two-sex culture, have done everything they can to try to force people who are in-between into one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/doctors-and-scientists-being-part-of-that-two-sex-culture-have-done/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [Surely, sport is not fundamentally about the safety of athletes. 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It was bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-pain/i-used-to-sit-in-front-of-mcdonald-s-and-ask-people-for-dollars-to/) [T-Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-pain/) > [If you ask why I do what I do - I want to make a difference. I don't just want to maintain the status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-broad/if-you-ask-why-i-do-what-i-do-i-want-to-make-a-difference-i-don-t/) [Eli Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-broad/) > [Every morning when I pick up the newspaper and read about an earthquake in Japan or problems in European financial institutions, the first question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/every-morning-when-i-pick-up-the-newspaper-and-read-about-an/) [Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/) > [I follow a simple formula when I compose. 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I can't get lost in the experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-netrebko/i-prefer-department-stores-in-boutiques-they-come-up-and-ask-you-if/) [Anna Netrebko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-netrebko/) > [A lot of people ask: 'Will you play a psycho to really change your image and prove you can act?' But that's not what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-efron/a-lot-of-people-ask-will-you-play-a-psycho-to-really-change-your/) [Zac Efron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-efron/) > [I'm not in the movie business anymore, and hardly any 70 year olds are. 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