--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think it's the responsibility of…" description: "\"I don't think it's the responsibility of gays and lesbians to reinvent the family.\" — Dan Savage" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/dan-savage-2880_family_i-don-t-think-it-s-the-responsibility-of_2706316.jpg" --- # I don't think it's the responsibility of gays and lesbians… ![“I don't think it's the responsibility of gays and lesbians to reinvent the family.” quote by Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/dan-savage-2880_family_i-don-t-think-it-s-the-responsibility-of_2706316.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/dan-savage-2880_family_i-don-t-think-it-s-the-responsibility-of_2706316.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/dan-savage-2880_family_i-don-t-think-it-s-the-responsibility-of_2706316.jpg) > “I don't think it's the responsibility of gays and lesbians to reinvent the family.” [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. Responsibility for redefining family structures does not lie with gay or lesbian individuals. **In simple terms:** Family change isn’t gay/lesbian duty. Key Takeaway Support inclusive dialogue, not sole responsibility. Themes family responsibility identity Mood thoughtful activist Type opinion social When to use this quote - policy making - community organizing - media representation - personal relationships Key Concepts Social norms political activism Questions to Reflect On - Who should lead societal change? - How do you balance personal identity with collective responsibility? A Different Perspective Changing family norms may face cultural resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Gays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gays/) [Lesbians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesbians/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [Where gays and lesbians are the best organized and most concentrated in numbers are states that President Clinton must carry in order to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mixner/where-gays-and-lesbians-are-the-best-organized-and-most-concentrated/) [David Mixner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mixner/) > [Securing for gays and lesbians the basic right to have their relationships and families recognized as part of a community makes all of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/securing-for-gays-and-lesbians-the-basic-right-to-have-their/) [Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/) > [Gay marriage will be universally accepted in time. 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No matter how I look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mullen/it-is-my-position-that-allowing-gays-and-lesbians-to-serve-openly/) [Michael Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mullen/) > [Gays and lesbians are our friends, neighbors, doctors, colleagues, sisters and brothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-hoover/gays-and-lesbians-are-our-friends-neighbors-doctors-colleagues/) [Margaret Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-hoover/) > [As a lifelong pacifist, Quaker, and a gay man, I despair that gays and lesbians are expending energy trying to get into the military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-rorem/as-a-lifelong-pacifist-quaker-and-a-gay-man-i-despair-that-gays-and/) [Ned Rorem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-rorem/) > [I don't think there is any good answer to the question why shouldn't gays and lesbians who want to serve their country be allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/i-don-t-think-there-is-any-good-answer-to-the-question-why-shouldn-t/) [John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/) > [“Martin hesitated. This was a definite yes and no answer. Yes, gay guys picked up strangers on the street, for that matter sometimes so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-thornton/martin-hesitated-this-was-a-definite-yes-and-no-answer-yes-gay-guys/) [Marshall Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-thornton/) > [God did not create gays and lesbians so He could have something to hate!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-perry/god-did-not-create-gays-and-lesbians-so-he-could-have-something-to/) [Troy Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-perry/) > [While increasing acceptance of gays marks my generational experience - Ellen DeGeneres is welcomed into the living rooms of millions of Americans daily, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-hoover/while-increasing-acceptance-of-gays-marks-my-generational-experience/) [Margaret Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-hoover/) > [There are gays and lesbians in every country, so there should be no discrimination against them just because of their destiny,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hun-sen/there-are-gays-and-lesbians-in-every-country-so-there-should-be-no/) [Hun Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hun-sen/) > [All Gays and Lesbians go to hell?? Well there is gonna be a party down there!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaykel-leighty/all-gays-and-lesbians-go-to-hell-well-there-is-gonna-be-a-party-down/) Jaykel Leighty > [LGBT people are really convenient: we're sort of the ultimate foreign agent in Russia. There's no doubt in anyone's mind that the values that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/lgbt-people-are-really-convenient-we-re-sort-of-the-ultimate-foreign/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) > [Until politicos take a true stand in defense of marriage by proposing an anti-adultery amendment to the Constitution, stop demonizing gays and lesbians when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/until-politicos-take-a-true-stand-in-defense-of-marriage-by-proposing/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [“Homophobia is the ignorant and arrogant assumption that copulation and reproduction is all there is to a relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/homophobia-is-the-ignorant-and-arrogant-assumption-that-copulation/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) ## 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 Family quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) Maureen Andeson > [Our concept of a family holiday was going to a guest house in the Lake district or Wales where walking was part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/our-concept-of-a-family-holiday-was-going-to-a-guest-house-in-the/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [“She knew how to play him so very well. He slipped his hand around hers. "Friends," he repeated roughly. Her smile was bright enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/she-knew-how-to-play-him-so-very-well-he-slipped-his-hand-around-hers/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [As a family, we all loved the Flyers. To me, rooting for the Flyers were how I bonded with my dad especially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-f-goldberg/as-a-family-we-all-loved-the-flyers-to-me-rooting-for-the-flyers-were/) [Adam F. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-f-goldberg/) > [The people have always been family to me here in Las Vegas. The people have always been very, very kind to me, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-cunningham/the-people-have-always-been-family-to-me-here-in-las-vegas-the-people/) [Randall Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-cunningham/) > [“Your relationship with your brother will be, in many ways, the most complex and bewildering of all the interpersonal connections you will form. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/your-relationship-with-your-brother-will-be-in-many-ways-the-most/) [Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 36,913 Family quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think it's the responsibility of gays and lesbians to reinvent the family.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dan Savage" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-don-t-think-it-s-the-responsibility-of-gays-and-lesbians-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Family" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-don-t-think-it-s-the-responsibility-of-gays-and-lesbians-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/dan-savage-2880_family_i-don-t-think-it-s-the-responsibility-of_2706316.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/dan-savage-2880_family_i-don-t-think-it-s-the-responsibility-of_2706316.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/dan-savage-2880_family_i-don-t-think-it-s-the-responsibility-of_2706316.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't think it's the responsibility of gays and lesbians to reinvent the family.” — 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": "I don't think it's the responsibility...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-don-t-think-it-s-the-responsibility-of-gays-and-lesbians-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-don-t-think-it-s-the-responsibility-of-gays-and-lesbians-to/#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 } } ] } ```