---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Actual gay people can make many others…"
description: "\"Actual gay people can make many others feel uncomfortable and paranoid because they don't know and can't articulate what makes a person gay, and they w..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/398/dan-savage-2880_feels_actual-gay-people-can-make-many-others-f_2114313.jpg"
---

#  Actual gay people can make many others feel uncomfortable…

![“Actual gay people can make many others feel uncomfortable and paranoid because they don't know and can't articulate what makes a person gay, and they worry that maybe they themselves are gay.” quote by Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/398/dan-savage-2880_feels_actual-gay-people-can-make-many-others-f_2114313.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/398/dan-savage-2880_feels_actual-gay-people-can-make-many-others-f_2114313.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/398/dan-savage-2880_feels_actual-gay-people-can-make-many-others-f_2114313.jpg)

> “Actual gay people can make many others feel uncomfortable and paranoid because they don't know and can't articulate what makes a person gay, and they worry that maybe they themselves are gay.”

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People may feel uneasy around gay individuals because of uncertainty about their own sexuality and lack of understanding.

**In simple terms:** Uncertainty about sexuality causes discomfort.

Key Takeaway

Promote open dialogue to reduce fear.

Themes

sexuality comfort identity

Mood

thoughtful supportive

Type

advice educational

When to use this quote

- LGBTQ+ education
- support groups
- personal introspection

Key Concepts

psychology social stigma

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you foster safe spaces for honest conversation?
- What assumptions do you hold about sexuality?

A Different Perspective

Not all discomfort stems from ignorance; some may be prejudice.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Gay people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-people/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Uncomfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncomfortable/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/)

## Related quotes

> [“I even tried to usher her into this century by explaining that wearing rainbows didn’t automatically mean a person was gay. The Lucky Charms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elna-baker/i-even-tried-to-usher-her-into-this-century-by-explaining-that/)

[Elna Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elna-baker/)

> [“You are not a bad person because you are gay. You are you because you are you and you were meant to be you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tegan-quin/you-are-not-a-bad-person-because-you-are-gay-you-are-you-because-you/)

[Tegan Quin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tegan-quin/)

> [If people do not organize in the name of their interest, the world will not take them as being serious. And that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-rustin/if-people-do-not-organize-in-the-name-of-their-interest-the-world/)

[Bayard Rustin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-rustin/)

> [Ziggy Stardust, the Village People, and punk rock really shaped who I am as a person and as a gay man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boy-george/ziggy-stardust-the-village-people-and-punk-rock-really-shaped-who-i/)

[Boy George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boy-george/)

> [You have a teacher talking about his gayness. (The elementary school student) goes home then and says "Mom! What's gayness? We had a teacher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-bachmann/you-have-a-teacher-talking-about-his-gayness-the-elementary-school/)

[Michele Bachmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-bachmann/)

> [“Friends, I told myself. We could be friends. Friends held hands all the time, and I hadn’t given up hope that maybe he could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kirsten-maravel/friends-i-told-myself-we-could-be-friends-friends-held-hands-all-the/)

[Shawn Kirsten Maravel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kirsten-maravel/)

> [Maybe what a gay icon is, is a person who is rooted for — in other words, cheered on — by people who feel different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-minnelli/maybe-what-a-gay-icon-is-is-a-person-who-is-rooted-for-in-other-words/)

[Liza Minnelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-minnelli/)

> [Just because you're into Kate...well, it doesn't necessarily mean you're gay. Although it's okay if you are. But if that's what's worrying you...' Ariel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-myracle/just-because-you-re-into-kate-well-it-doesn-t-necessarily-mean-you-re/)

[Lauren Myracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-myracle/)

> [“I think he has a girlfriend? Not sure though, he just seems to be off limits to all women here—well you know the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-giovanni/i-think-he-has-a-girlfriend-not-sure-though-he-just-seems-to-be-off/)

[Cassandra Giovanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-giovanni/)

> [We've had a culture war roaring away, and the kinds of people who want to abuse and discriminate against gay people who are adults…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/we-ve-had-a-culture-war-roaring-away-and-the-kinds-of-people-who-want/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [It's going to take generations of gay people marrying before these things start to feel natural. We haven't had it long enough to remake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/it-s-going-to-take-generations-of-gay-people-marrying-before-these/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [You can't have Rosie on The View and Elton John packing Mom and Pop in at Caesars Palace and gay people all over television,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/you-can-t-have-rosie-on-the-view-and-elton-john-packing-mom-and-pop/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [I think it's going to take three or four generations of gay people being able to get married before it starts feeling less like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-think-it-s-going-to-take-three-or-four-generations-of-gay-people/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [The successes of the LGBT civil rights movement and the more prominent role openly gay people are playing in the public eye has actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/the-successes-of-the-lgbt-civil-rights-movement-and-the-more/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [I'm one of those gay people who's constantly reminded of how fortunate I am to live now and not to be Ennis and Jack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-m-one-of-those-gay-people-who-s-constantly-reminded-of-how/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

## More by Dan Savage

> [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [Bisexuals need to recognize that their being closeted is a huge contributing factor to the hostility they face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/bisexuals-need-to-recognize-that-their-being-closeted-is-a-huge/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [Really, when it comes to gay rights, there's two wars going on. The first war is political. But the culture war is over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/really-when-it-comes-to-gay-rights-there-s-two-wars-going-on-the/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [I get letters every year from women who think Valentine's Day is an empty exercise, but are ironically pretty exercised when their boyfriends neglect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-get-letters-every-year-from-women-who-think-valentine-s-day-is-an/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [I'm allergic to dogs, so I couldn't even adopt what gay men typically adopt when they have that maternal gene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-m-allergic-to-dogs-so-i-couldn-t-even-adopt-what-gay-men-typically/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [And that really captures the difference for the bullied straight kid versus the bullied gay kid, is that the bullied straight kid goes home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/and-that-really-captures-the-difference-for-the-bullied-straight-kid/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [I'm one of those gay people who's constantly reminded of how fortunate I am to live now and not to be Ennis and Jack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-m-one-of-those-gay-people-who-s-constantly-reminded-of-how/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [I think the best thing for you to do is just live your life. Live a life that's worth living, one where you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-think-the-best-thing-for-you-to-do-is-just-live-your-life-live-a/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [the Bible is only as good and decent as the person reading it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/the-bible-is-only-as-good-and-decent-as-the-person-reading-it/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [There's a big mistake the left has made with talking to religious people, which is attempting to talk them out of their interpretations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/there-s-a-big-mistake-the-left-has-made-with-talking-to-religious/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [The mistake that straight people made was imposing the monogamous expectation on men. Men were never expected to be monogamous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/the-mistake-that-straight-people-made-was-imposing-the-monogamous/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [I got picked on a lot, even by teachers too. I liked to listen to musicals and bake, and my homeroom teacher found out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-got-picked-on-a-lot-even-by-teachers-too-i-liked-to-listen-to/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [“Either way... you've got to tell him--in no uncertain terms--to knock it the fuck off already. Don't be measured, don't wrap it up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/either-way-you-ve-got-to-tell-him-in-no-uncertain-terms-to-knock-it/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [I wanted to be a priest when I was a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-wanted-to-be-a-priest-when-i-was-a-kid/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [When you're young and queer and closeted, you can end up in this place where you regard your straight peers as the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/when-you-re-young-and-queer-and-closeted-you-can-end-up-in-this-place/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

[Explore all 147 Dan Savage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

## More Feels quotes

> [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/)

[Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/)

> [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/)

[Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/)

> [Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/pain-is-meant-to-wake-us-up-people-try-to-hide-their-pain-but-they-re/)

[Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/)

> [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/)

[Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/)

> [Most days, I go home and I feel rejuvenated. I feel ebullient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/most-days-i-go-home-and-i-feel-rejuvenated-i-feel-ebullient/)

[Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/)

> [Do you think that God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself? I feel as though I am going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-would-separate-me-from-my-husband-if-i-killed/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/)

[Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/)

> [Personal Style comes from within. It's when the woman, her individuality and spirit come through. She uses clothes to express who she is and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-karan/personal-style-comes-from-within-it-s-when-the-woman-her/)

[Donna Karan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-karan/)

> [(knitting while on a motorcycle) "For several years she knitted in secret (my father would not approve; she was to concentrate on motorcycling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-zimmermann/knitting-while-on-a-motorcycle-for-several-years-she-knitted-in/)

[Elizabeth Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-zimmermann/)

> [Then come to realize that you're making mountains out of molehills. Realize how petty you've become. Sure, it may feel like you can't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/then-come-to-realize-that-you-re-making-mountains-out-of-molehills/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/)

[Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/)

> [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/)

[Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/)

> [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [I feel like I could eat the world raw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-feel-like-i-could-eat-the-world-raw/)

[Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/)

Browse all 38,933 Feels quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Actual gay people can make many others feel uncomfortable and paranoid because they don't know and can't articulate what makes a person gay, and they worry that maybe they themselves are gay.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Dan Savage"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/actual-gay-people-can-make-many-others-feel-uncomfortable-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Feels"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/actual-gay-people-can-make-many-others-feel-uncomfortable-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/398/dan-savage-2880_feels_actual-gay-people-can-make-many-others-f_2114313.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/398/dan-savage-2880_feels_actual-gay-people-can-make-many-others-f_2114313.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/398/dan-savage-2880_feels_actual-gay-people-can-make-many-others-f_2114313.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Actual gay people can make many others feel uncomfortable and paranoid because they don't know and can't…” — Dan Savage",
                "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": "Dan Savage",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Actual gay people can make many...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/actual-gay-people-can-make-many-others-feel-uncomfortable-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/actual-gay-people-can-make-many-others-feel-uncomfortable-and/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
