--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing I don't understand about…" description: "\"The thing I don't understand about homosexuals is, how do they decide which one is the one who's supposed to pretend they don't want it?\" — Bill Maher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/bill-maher-211_homosexual_the-thing-i-don-t-understand-about-homos_1942790.png" --- # The thing I don't understand about homosexuals is, how do… ![“The thing I don't understand about homosexuals is, how do they decide which one is the one who's supposed to pretend they don't want it?” quote by Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/bill-maher-211_homosexual_the-thing-i-don-t-understand-about-homos_1942790.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/bill-maher-211_homosexual_the-thing-i-don-t-understand-about-homos_1942790.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/bill-maher-211_homosexual_the-thing-i-don-t-understand-about-homos_1942790.png) > “The thing I don't understand about homosexuals is, how do they decide which one is the one who's supposed to pretend they don't want it?” [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Gay men may hide desire due to societal pressure, not personal choice. **In simple terms:** Societal pressure forces concealment. Key Takeaway Challenge harmful norms. Themes identity societal pressure sexuality Mood critical thought‑provoking Type satirical commentary When to use this quote - dating - coming out - mental health - activism Key Concepts sociology psychology Questions to Reflect On - Why do some feel compelled to pretend? - What can reduce this pressure? A Different Perspective Not all gay men hide desire; many are open. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decide Supposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decide-supposed-253087/) [Homosexual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexual/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Homosexuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuals/) [Homosexuals Decide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuals-decide-3106538/) [Supposed Pretend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supposed-pretend-861180/) [Understand Homosexuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-homosexuals-3106539/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [“Life is an act in which we spend our time trying to decide who we are supposed to be while trying to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ela-crain/life-is-an-act-in-which-we-spend-our-time-trying-to-decide-who-we-are/) [Ela Crain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ela-crain/) > [“Because this is America. You’re supposed to pretend that you don’t notice certain things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/because-this-is-america-you-re-supposed-to-pretend-that-you-don-t/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [“Why didn't she just ask 'Was it the white girl or the black girl?'" "Because this is America. You're supposed to pretend that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/why-didn-t-she-just-ask-was-it-the-white-girl-or-the-black-girl/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [Homosexuals are not interested in making other people homosexuals. Homophobes are interested in making other people homophobes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/homosexuals-are-not-interested-in-making-other-people-homosexuals/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [ Same sex marriage is a disgrace to the nation and to God. When I was growing up, ‘ungqingili’ \[homosexuals in isiZulu\] could not stand… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-zuma/same-sex-marriage-is-a-disgrace-to-the-nation-and-to-god-when-i-was/) [Jacob Zuma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-zuma/) > [If the Bible will not give eternal benefits to homosexuals, if they cannot inherit the kingdom of God, why, Klingenschmitt asked, on this world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-klingenschmitt/if-the-bible-will-not-give-eternal-benefits-to-homosexuals-if-they/) [Gordon Klingenschmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-klingenschmitt/) > [Even though probably the majority of homosexuals are not oriented towards young people, there is a significant number that are, especially the men...male homosexuality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lively/even-though-probably-the-majority-of-homosexuals-are-not-oriented/) [Scott Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lively/) > [The ... problem that confronts homosexuals is that they set out to win the love of a "real" man. If they succeed, they fail.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/the-problem-that-confronts-homosexuals-is-that-they-set-out-to-win/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [I want the same standard applied to homosexuals as is applied to heterosexuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-o-donnell/i-want-the-same-standard-applied-to-homosexuals-as-is-applied-to/) [Rosie O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-o-donnell/) > [Hillary Clinton is funded by people who murder homosexuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/hillary-clinton-is-funded-by-people-who-murder-homosexuals/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [People can tolerate two homosexuals they see leaving together, but the next day they're smiling, holding hands, tenderly embracing one another, then they cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/people-can-tolerate-two-homosexuals-they-see-leaving-together-but-the/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [Make no mistake: Homosexuals' human right must be protected. It is bigoted to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation or preferences just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-sina/make-no-mistake-homosexuals-human-right-must-be-protected-it-is/) [Ali Sina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-sina/) > [Homosexuals in Russia live in peace, work, are promoted, receive national awards for their achievements in science, art or any other sphere, medals are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/homosexuals-in-russia-live-in-peace-work-are-promoted-receive/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Benedict XVI kept saying that homosexuals are deviant. They're not deviant. They're deviant only if you say that anyone who is different from me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/benedict-xvi-kept-saying-that-homosexuals-are-deviant-they-re-not/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [Homosexuals are not monogamous. They want to destroy the institution of marriage. It will destroy marriage. It will destroy the Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/homosexuals-are-not-monogamous-they-want-to-destroy-the-institution/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) ## More by Bill Maher > [A lot of people say they are dyslexic; some have to realize that they are just stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/a-lot-of-people-say-they-are-dyslexic-some-have-to-realize-that-they/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [To all conservative women out there: If you are so sure the embryo needed for stem cell research are precious human life that can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/to-all-conservative-women-out-there-if-you-are-so-sure-the-embryo/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Curious people are intersting people, I wonder why that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/curious-people-are-intersting-people-i-wonder-why-that-is/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [You see, the difference is the Republicans' hatred of Obama is based on a paranoid feeling about what he might do, what he's thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/you-see-the-difference-is-the-republicans-hatred-of-obama-is-based-on/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [The food is out of this world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-food-is-out-of-this-world/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [New Rule: There is no devil, so stop blaming your screw-ups on him. Last week, one of the biggest evangelical leaders in America, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-there-is-no-devil-so-stop-blaming-your-screw-ups-on-him-last/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [If we were a dog and God owned us, the cops would come and take us away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/if-we-were-a-dog-and-god-owned-us-the-cops-would-come-and-take-us-away/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“New Rule: The White House doesn't have to release the dead Bin Laden photos, but don't pretend we can't take it. We've seen pictures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-the-white-house-doesn-t-have-to-release-the-dead-bin-laden/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I think religion is bad and drugs are good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-think-religion-is-bad-and-drugs-are-good/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I don't hate America. I love America. I want it to be better. The only way we can get it to be better is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-don-t-hate-america-i-love-america-i-want-it-to-be-better-the-only/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“New Rule: Americans must realize what makes NFL football so great: socialism. That's right, the NFL takes money from the rich teams and gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-americans-must-realize-what-makes-nfl-football-so-great/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [So many kids are fat drug addicts these days, it's almost as if Rush Limbaugh had puppies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/so-many-kids-are-fat-drug-addicts-these-days-it-s-almost-as-if-rush/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [What we don't know is about Jeb Bush and cocaine. But we do know that he did once had his brother Florida on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-we-don-t-know-is-about-jeb-bush-and-cocaine-but-we-do-know-that/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“I find that the world is changing much, much faster than I can even bitch about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-find-that-the-world-is-changing-much-much-faster-than-i-can-even/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) [Explore all 897 Bill Maher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) ## More Homosexual quotes > [I'm homosexual. How and why are idle questions. It's a little like wanting to know why my eyes are green.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-genet/i-m-homosexual-how-and-why-are-idle-questions-it-s-a-little-like/) [Jean Genet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-genet/) > [Personally, I think that children should be left alone, they should be given an opportunity to grow up, to become aware of themselves and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/personally-i-think-that-children-should-be-left-alone-they-should-be/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [People are messy and complex, particularly in the homosexual world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/people-are-messy-and-complex-particularly-in-the-homosexual-world/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [Hitler recruited around him homosexuals to make up his Stormtroopers, they were his enforcers, they were his thugs. And Hitler discovered that he could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-fischer/hitler-recruited-around-him-homosexuals-to-make-up-his-stormtroopers/) [Bryan Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-fischer/) > [Selfish hedonism is not a pejorative. It is a description - an exactly accurate description of what is involved in homosexual relations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/selfish-hedonism-is-not-a-pejorative-it-is-a-description-an-exactly/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [Persons who have cleansed themselves of any transgression and who have shown their ability to deal with homosexual inclinations and put them in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/persons-who-have-cleansed-themselves-of-any-transgression-and-who/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts. I do not believe that the Armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-pace/i-believe-that-homosexual-acts-between-individuals-are-immoral-and/) [Peter Pace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-pace/) > [Something inside of me tells me that being homosexual is probably wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/something-inside-of-me-tells-me-that-being-homosexual-is-probably/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [New Rule: I don't give two fingleberries and a McShit-all that Dumbledore is gay. I never wanted to know who Dumbledore was in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-i-don-t-give-two-fingleberries-and-a-mcshit-all-that/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [It's imprecise and insufficient, defining the homosexual as a person whose gender expression is at odds with his or her sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/it-s-imprecise-and-insufficient-defining-the-homosexual-as-a-person/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [The Bible was written between 3,000 and 2,000 years ago, and it's filled with the knowledge that people had in that period of time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-bible-was-written-between-3-000-and-2-000-years-ago-and-it-s/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [being homosexual doesn't determine a man's whole character any more than being heterosexual does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/being-homosexual-doesn-t-determine-a-man-s-whole-character-any-more/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [If you ask me:"An openly homosexual teacher can work as a teacher? I say no. (...) I'll not do anything to discriminate you, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianfranco-fini/if-you-ask-me-an-openly-homosexual-teacher-can-work-as-a-teacher-i/) [Gianfranco Fini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianfranco-fini/) > [Homosexuals are not monogamous. They want to destroy the institution of marriage. It will destroy marriage. It will destroy the Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/homosexuals-are-not-monogamous-they-want-to-destroy-the-institution/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-martin/i-am-proud-to-say-that-i-am-a-fortunate-homosexual-man-i-am-very/) [Ricky Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-martin/) [Browse all 594 Homosexual quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexual/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thing I don't understand about homosexuals is, how do they decide which one is the one who's supposed to pretend they don't want it?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Maher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-thing-i-don-t-understand-about-homosexuals-is-how-do-they-decide/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Homosexual" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-thing-i-don-t-understand-about-homosexuals-is-how-do-they-decide/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/bill-maher-211_homosexual_the-thing-i-don-t-understand-about-homos_1942790.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/bill-maher-211_homosexual_the-thing-i-don-t-understand-about-homos_1942790.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/bill-maher-211_homosexual_the-thing-i-don-t-understand-about-homos_1942790.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The thing I don't understand about homosexuals is, how do they decide which one is the one who's supposed to…” — Bill Maher", "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": "Bill Maher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The thing I don't understand about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-thing-i-don-t-understand-about-homosexuals-is-how-do-they-decide/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-thing-i-don-t-understand-about-homosexuals-is-how-do-they-decide/#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 } } ] } ```