--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Women will not simply be mainstreamed…" description: "\"Women will not simply be mainstreamed into the polluted stream. Women are changing the stream, making it clean and green and safe for all - every gende..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/196/bella-abzug-14368_ability_women-will-not-simply-be-mainstreamed-in_2792766.jpg" --- # Women will not simply be mainstreamed into the polluted… ![“Women will not simply be mainstreamed into the polluted stream. Women are changing the stream, making it clean and green and safe for all - every gender, race, creed, sexual orientation, age, and ability.” quote by Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/196/bella-abzug-14368_ability_women-will-not-simply-be-mainstreamed-in_2792766.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/196/bella-abzug-14368_ability_women-will-not-simply-be-mainstreamed-in_2792766.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/196/bella-abzug-14368_ability_women-will-not-simply-be-mainstreamed-in_2792766.jpg) > “Women will not simply be mainstreamed into the polluted stream. Women are changing the stream, making it clean and green and safe for all - every gender, race, creed, sexual orientation, age, and ability.” [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Women are not just entering existing systems; they are transforming them into inclusive, safe spaces for everyone. **In simple terms:** Women change the world, making it better for all. Key Takeaway Support and amplify women's leadership. Themes equality environment social change Mood hopeful determined Type inspirational activist When to use this quote - activism - policy making - community building - education Key Concepts feminism systems theory Questions to Reflect On - How can you contribute to a cleaner, safer environment? - What barriers exist to inclusive change? A Different Perspective Change can meet resistance from entrenched interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Creeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creeds/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Gender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender/) [Orientation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orientation/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) [Women 's rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-s-rights/) [Women rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-rights/) ## Related quotes > [The law changes and flows like water, and . . . the stream of women's rights law has become a sudden rushing torrent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shana-alexander/the-law-changes-and-flows-like-water-and-the-stream-of-women-s-rights/) [Shana Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shana-alexander/) > [Verily, a polluted stream is man. One must actually be a sea to take in a polluted stream without becoming impure. Behold, I teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/verily-a-polluted-stream-is-man-one-must-actually-be-a-sea-to-take-in/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [One must be a sea, to receive a polluted stream without becoming impure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/one-must-be-a-sea-to-receive-a-polluted-stream-without-becoming-impure/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [We ask justice, we ask equality, we ask that all the civil and political rights that belong to citizens of the United States, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/we-ask-justice-we-ask-equality-we-ask-that-all-the-civil-and/) [Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) > [When women thrive, all of society benefits, and succeeding generations are given a better start in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/when-women-thrive-all-of-society-benefits-and-succeeding-generations/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/we-cannot-all-succeed-when-half-of-us-are-held-back/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [“Feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheris-kramarae/feminism-is-the-radical-notion-that-women-are-human-beings/) Cheris Kramarae > [Human rights are women's rights, and women's rights are human rights. Let us not forget that among those rights are the right to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/human-rights-are-women-s-rights-and-women-s-rights-are-human-rights/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Those who are really in earnest must be willing to be anything or nothing in the world's estimation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/those-who-are-really-in-earnest-must-be-willing-to-be-anything-or/) [Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) > [Women's empowerment is intertwined with respect for human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahnaz-afkhami/women-s-empowerment-is-intertwined-with-respect-for-human-rights/) [Mahnaz Afkhami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahnaz-afkhami/) > [All talk of women's rights is moonshine. Women have every right. They have only to exercise them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-woodhull/all-talk-of-women-s-rights-is-moonshine-women-have-every-right-they/) [Victoria Woodhull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-woodhull/) > [Everybody counts in applying democracy. And there will never be a true democracy until every responsible and law-abiding adult in it, without regard to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-chapman-catt/everybody-counts-in-applying-democracy-and-there-will-never-be-a-true/) [Carrie Chapman Catt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-chapman-catt/) > [To me there is nothing complicated about ordinary equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-paul/to-me-there-is-nothing-complicated-about-ordinary-equality/) [Alice Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-paul/) > [...there is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/there-is-no-tool-for-development-more-effective-than-the-empowerment/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [When I see the elaborate study and ingenuity displayed by women in the pursuit of trifles, I feel no doubt of their capacity for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ward-howe/when-i-see-the-elaborate-study-and-ingenuity-displayed-by-women-in/) [Julia Ward Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ward-howe/) ## More by Bella Abzug > [The test for whether or not you can hold a job should not be the arrangement of your chromosomes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/the-test-for-whether-or-not-you-can-hold-a-job-should-not-be-the/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) > [I am not a centrist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/i-am-not-a-centrist/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) > [As women, we know that we must always find ways to change the process because the present institutions want to hold on to power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/as-women-we-know-that-we-must-always-find-ways-to-change-the-process/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) > [When I was a young lawyer, working women wore hats. It was the only way they would take you seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/when-i-was-a-young-lawyer-working-women-wore-hats-it-was-the-only-way/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) > [They are a very extensive minority who have suffered discrimination and who have the same right to participation in the promise and fruits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/they-are-a-very-extensive-minority-who-have-suffered-discrimination/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) > [All of the men on my staff can type.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/all-of-the-men-on-my-staff-can-type/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) > [I prefer the word 'homemaker' because 'housewife' always implies that there may be a wife someplace else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/i-prefer-the-word-homemaker-because-housewife-always-implies-that/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) > [Women will change the nature of power, rather than power changing the nature of women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/women-will-change-the-nature-of-power-rather-than-power-changing-the/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) > [I am not elevating women to sainthood, nor am I suggesting that all women share the same views, or that all women are good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/i-am-not-elevating-women-to-sainthood-nor-am-i-suggesting-that-all/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) > [Women have been trained to speak softly and carry a lipstick. Those days are over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/women-have-been-trained-to-speak-softly-and-carry-a-lipstick-those/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) > [the women's movement, not only here in the U.S., but worldwide, is bigger and stronger than ever before and in places where it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/the-women-s-movement-not-only-here-in-the-u-s-but-worldwide-is-bigger/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) > [Our struggle was political, ideological and economic, and we felt we couldn't make something of ourselves unless we bettered society. We saw the two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/our-struggle-was-political-ideological-and-economic-and-we-felt-we/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) > [Maybe we weren't at the Last Supper, but we're certainly going to be at the next one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/maybe-we-weren-t-at-the-last-supper-but-we-re-certainly-going-to-be/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) > [“Our struggle today is not to have a female Einstein get appointed as an assistant professor. It is for a woman schlemiel to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/our-struggle-today-is-not-to-have-a-female-einstein-get-appointed-as/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) > [Women's struggle for equality worldwide is about more than equality between men and women. Our struggle is about reversing the trends of social, economic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/women-s-struggle-for-equality-worldwide-is-about-more-than-equality/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) [Explore all 47 Bella Abzug quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Women will not simply be mainstreamed into the polluted stream. Women are changing the stream, making it clean and green and safe for all - every gender, race, creed, sexual orientation, age, and ability.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bella Abzug" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/women-will-not-simply-be-mainstreamed-into-the-polluted-stream-women/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/women-will-not-simply-be-mainstreamed-into-the-polluted-stream-women/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/196/bella-abzug-14368_ability_women-will-not-simply-be-mainstreamed-in_2792766.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/196/bella-abzug-14368_ability_women-will-not-simply-be-mainstreamed-in_2792766.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/196/bella-abzug-14368_ability_women-will-not-simply-be-mainstreamed-in_2792766.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Women will not simply be mainstreamed into the polluted stream. Women are changing the stream, making it…” — Bella Abzug", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bella Abzug", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Women will not simply be mainstreamed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/women-will-not-simply-be-mainstreamed-into-the-polluted-stream-women/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/women-will-not-simply-be-mainstreamed-into-the-polluted-stream-women/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```