--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We think . . . that girls ought to sing…" description: "\"“ We think . . . that girls ought to sing. They ought to sing, and dance while they're singing. But we are not girls, and so can be almost certain that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/catherynne-m-valente-375_dance_we-think-that-girls-ought-to-sing-they-o_3217839.png" --- # We think . . . that girls ought to sing. They ought to… ![“We think . . . that girls ought to sing. They ought to sing, and dance while they're singing. But we are not girls, and so can be almost certain that we know nothing about the matter.” quote by Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/catherynne-m-valente-375_dance_we-think-that-girls-ought-to-sing-they-o_3217839.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/catherynne-m-valente-375_dance_we-think-that-girls-ought-to-sing-they-o_3217839.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/catherynne-m-valente-375_dance_we-think-that-girls-ought-to-sing-they-o_3217839.png) > ““ We think . . . that girls ought to sing. They ought to sing, and dance while they're singing. But we are not girls, and so can be almost certain that we know nothing about the matter. ”” [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker highlights the absurdity of assuming gendered expectations for performance, emphasizing that they are not women and thus lack authority on the subject. **In simple terms:** They claim they can't speak on girls' singing because they're not girls. Key Takeaway Recognize limits of personal experience when judging others. Themes gender roles identity authority performance humor Mood reflective wry critical Type observational commentary When to use this quote - discussions about gender expectations - creative writing workshops - media analysis - teaching gender studies Key Concepts feminist critique social construction self-awareness Questions to Reflect On - How do you navigate speaking on topics outside your identity? - When is it appropriate to share outsider perspectives? A Different Perspective Assuming expertise without lived experience can still be valuable if framed as perspective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girls/) [Girls Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girls-certain-5142784/) [Girls Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girls-ought-5590344/) [Ought Sing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought-sing-6037314/) [Sing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sing/) [Singing Girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing-girls-4804223/) [Think Girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-girls/) ## Related quotes > [“beautiful girls have certain advantages.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/beautiful-girls-have-certain-advantages/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [The amount of missing girls I've had to trace and their family and their friends always say the same thing. 'She was a bright…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/the-amount-of-missing-girls-i-ve-had-to-trace-and-their-family-and/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [Even before I got the record deal, I never really used singing to get girls. I always felt weird about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/musiq-soulchild/even-before-i-got-the-record-deal-i-never-really-used-singing-to-get/) [Musiq Soulchild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/musiq-soulchild/) > [It was weird. I joined this band because my life was all about singing. Then Girls Aloud became successful, and suddenly it wasn't just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-roberts/it-was-weird-i-joined-this-band-because-my-life-was-all-about-singing/) [Nicola Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-roberts/) > [I swear I will neva figure out girls. Just when you think it's good its not good. I think all girls who had an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/i-swear-i-will-neva-figure-out-girls-just-when-you-think-it-s-good/) [Kevin Mccarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [I think Girls is pretty brilliant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-lister-jones/i-think-girls-is-pretty-brilliant/) [Zoe Lister-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-lister-jones/) > [Honestly , girls get judged in a bad way for every little thing they do . Like if a girl wants to get high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/honestly-girls-get-judged-in-a-bad-way-for-every-little-thing-they-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What I always think about when I think about 'Girls' is Lena being in a scene where she's very vulnerable, possibly directing, acting, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-konner/what-i-always-think-about-when-i-think-about-girls-is-lena-being-in-a/) [Jennifer Konner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-konner/) > [I just think girls need to value themselves much more than they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letoya-luckett/i-just-think-girls-need-to-value-themselves-much-more-than-they-do/) [LeToya Luckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letoya-luckett/) > [I think all girls are Shah Rukh Khan fans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-sharma/i-think-all-girls-are-shah-rukh-khan-fans/) [Neha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-sharma/) > [Do you think girls should have a wingman??](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-zeon/do-you-think-girls-should-have-a-wingman/) [Ernest Zeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-zeon/) > [I think girls who looked like me or were from the poorer area where I'm from in Australia, like you don't think "Oh, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebel-wilson/i-think-girls-who-looked-like-me-or-were-from-the-poorer-area-where-i/) [Rebel Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebel-wilson/) > [Boys think of girls like pair of shoes, they buy one pair, then the shoes rip or have a hole, and they get new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/boys-think-of-girls-like-pair-of-shoes-they-buy-one-pair-then-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most people think that girls can't play because they're girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-schock/most-people-think-that-girls-can-t-play-because-they-re-girls/) [Gina Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-schock/) > [I think with girls you have a real responsibility in terms of how you discuss the physical. Talking about your looks or body in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-dahl/i-think-with-girls-you-have-a-real-responsibility-in-terms-of-how-you/) [Sophie Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-dahl/) ## More by Catherynne M. Valente > [When I saw him I thought I could curl up inside him and go to sleep and never wake up." "Men are no good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/when-i-saw-him-i-thought-i-could-curl-up-inside-him-and-go-to-sleep/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [We all just keep moving, September. We keep moving until we stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/we-all-just-keep-moving-september-we-keep-moving-until-we-stop/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“You couldn't ever really fix a sad story. You could only make another. And another. And another, until you found the right one at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/you-couldn-t-ever-really-fix-a-sad-story-you-could-only-make-another/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“He considers it for a moment and spits out the seeds, which sprout, quickly, into tiny junkblossoms sizzling with recursive algorithms. The algorithms wriggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/he-considers-it-for-a-moment-and-spits-out-the-seeds-which-sprout/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“Truly, Mallow yearned to know everything. Curiosity was part of her, like her short blond hair and bitten fingernails.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/truly-mallow-yearned-to-know-everything-curiosity-was-part-of-her/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“The cicada lies in the earth for seventeen years. It is warm and dark there, it is soft and wet. Its little legs curl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/the-cicada-lies-in-the-earth-for-seventeen-years-it-is-warm-and-dark/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [We all live inside the terrible engine of authority, and it grinds and shrieks and burns so that no one will say: lines on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/we-all-live-inside-the-terrible-engine-of-authority-and-it-grinds-and/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Her heart was bruised by the kiss, smashed and surprised and unsettled by it. September thought kisses were all nice, sweet things asked for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/her-heart-was-bruised-by-the-kiss-smashed-and-surprised-and-unsettled/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“September put her hand on the grip of the Rivet Gun. She’d only just gotten it, and she’d promised to take copious notes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/september-put-her-hand-on-the-grip-of-the-rivet-gun-she-d-only-just/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Just tell yourself a story that'll satisfy you and pretend he told it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/just-tell-yourself-a-story-that-ll-satisfy-you-and-pretend-he-told-it/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“You see, the future is a kind of stew, a soup, a vichyssoise of the present and the past. That's how you get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/you-see-the-future-is-a-kind-of-stew-a-soup-a-vichyssoise-of-the/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Fairy tales have always been about getting through the worst of everything, the darkest and the deepest and the bloodiest of events. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/fairy-tales-have-always-been-about-getting-through-the-worst-of/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“There is a place, September, oh, very far from Pandemonium. A place where it is always autumn, where there is always cider and pumpkin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/there-is-a-place-september-oh-very-far-from-pandemonium-a-place-where/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“I was happy, the sun was high. I had enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/i-was-happy-the-sun-was-high-i-had-enough/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Who are you?" "I am Death," said the creature. "I thought that was obvious." "But you're so small!" "Only because you are small. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/who-are-you-i-am-death-said-the-creature-i-thought-that-was-obvious/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) [Explore all 621 Catherynne M. Valente quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) ## More Dance quotes > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I make dance music because I love to dance. But I want to think at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-make-dance-music-because-i-love-to-dance-but-i-want-to-think-at-the/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [I studied all kinds of dance, all types of music. I got good grades. I started hitting the recording studio around 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-derulo/i-studied-all-kinds-of-dance-all-types-of-music-i-got-good-grades-i/) [Jason Derulo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-derulo/) > [I like Sam Smith and Taylor Swift. I love pop music, but I also like Sam Smith's slow songs. That would be more to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddie-ziegler/i-like-sam-smith-and-taylor-swift-i-love-pop-music-but-i-also-like/) [Maddie Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddie-ziegler/) > [I think it's useful to experience other types of dance and other cultures, and the life of a classical dancer these days is certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/i-think-it-s-useful-to-experience-other-types-of-dance-and-other/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [Everything in dancing is style, allusion, the essence of many thoughts and feelings. The abstraction of many moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-ailey/everything-in-dancing-is-style-allusion-the-essence-of-many-thoughts/) [Alvin Ailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-ailey/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) > [“dances with mine as if we’ve been doing this our whole”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-michaels/dances-with-mine-as-if-we-ve-been-doing-this-our-whole/) [Corinne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-michaels/) > [My body was so instrumental to how I took pictures: it was practically a dance. I used to use my legs a lot; now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-leibovitz/my-body-was-so-instrumental-to-how-i-took-pictures-it-was-practically/) [Annie Leibovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-leibovitz/) > [I would rather learn from one bird how to sing than to teach 10,000 stars how not to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings/i-would-rather-learn-from-one-bird-how-to-sing-than-to-teach-10-000/) [e. e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings/) > [If you dance, you dance because you have to. Every dancer hurts, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunham/if-you-dance-you-dance-because-you-have-to-every-dancer-hurts-you-know/) [Katherine Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunham/) > [I'm not a dancer. Never took a dance class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrishell-stause/i-m-not-a-dancer-never-took-a-dance-class/) [Chrishell Stause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrishell-stause/) > [Being fit is the easiest part of being a dance professional. I used to just throw on a backpack full of rocks and run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-du-beke/being-fit-is-the-easiest-part-of-being-a-dance-professional-i-used-to/) [Anton du Beke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-du-beke/) > [I'm a horrible dancer, but I wanted to record songs that made me want to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lane/i-m-a-horrible-dancer-but-i-wanted-to-record-songs-that-made-me-want/) [Chris Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lane/) [Browse all 9,682 Dance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“ We think . . . that girls ought to sing. They ought to sing, and dance while they're singing. But we are not girls, and so can be almost certain that we know nothing about the matter. ”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Catherynne M. Valente" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/we-think-that-girls-ought-to-sing-they-ought-to-sing-and-dance-while/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/we-think-that-girls-ought-to-sing-they-ought-to-sing-and-dance-while/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/catherynne-m-valente-375_dance_we-think-that-girls-ought-to-sing-they-o_3217839.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/catherynne-m-valente-375_dance_we-think-that-girls-ought-to-sing-they-o_3217839.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/catherynne-m-valente-375_dance_we-think-that-girls-ought-to-sing-they-o_3217839.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We think . . . that girls ought to sing. They ought to sing, and dance while they're singing. But we are not…” — Catherynne M. Valente", "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": "Catherynne M. Valente", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“ We think . . ....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/we-think-that-girls-ought-to-sing-they-ought-to-sing-and-dance-while/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/we-think-that-girls-ought-to-sing-they-ought-to-sing-and-dance-while/#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 } } ] } ```