---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What's the trick to remembering that a…"
description: "\"“What's the trick to remembering that a sandwich is masculine? What qualities does it share with anyone in possession of a penis? I'll tell myself that..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/david-sedaris-333_beard_what-s-the-trick-to-remembering-that-a-s_611097.png"
---

#  What's the trick to remembering that a sandwich is…

![“What's the trick to remembering that a sandwich is masculine? What qualities does it share with anyone in possession of a penis? I'll tell myself that a sandwich is masculine because if left alone for a week or two, it will eventually grow a beard.” quote by David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/david-sedaris-333_beard_what-s-the-trick-to-remembering-that-a-s_611097.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/david-sedaris-333_beard_what-s-the-trick-to-remembering-that-a-s_611097.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/david-sedaris-333_beard_what-s-the-trick-to-remembering-that-a-s_611097.png)

> ““What's the trick to remembering that a sandwich is masculine? What qualities does it share with anyone in possession of a penis? I'll tell myself that a sandwich is masculine because if left alone for a week or two, it will eventually grow a beard.””

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

## About This Quote

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

The humor highlights how absurd gender stereotypes can be applied to inanimate objects, exposing the arbitrariness of such associations.

**In simple terms:** Gender stereotypes are arbitrary and can be funny when applied to objects.

Key Takeaway

Question stereotypes and recognize their absurdity.

Themes

humor gender stereotypes absurdity

Mood

playful ironic thought‑provoking

Type

satire observational humorous

When to use this quote

- everyday conversation
- teaching language
- social critique
- writing humor

Key Concepts

social commentary language play

Questions to Reflect On

- How do we internalize gendered language?
- What other objects could be humorously gendered?

A Different Perspective

The joke may reinforce stereotypes for some listeners rather than challenge them.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beard/) [French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/french/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Left alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-alone/) [Masculine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masculine/) [Masculine Qualities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masculine-qualities-1176015/) [Sandwich Masculine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sandwich-masculine-4961881/) [Tell Sandwich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-sandwich-4961882/)

## Related quotes

> [A lot of people say I seem masculine, but I don't feel it. I feel intrinsically feminine. I'd love to be one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hardy/a-lot-of-people-say-i-seem-masculine-but-i-don-t-feel-it-i-feel/)

[Tom Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hardy/)

> [For marriage the best man is the man within oneself. Most women need to develop their own 'masculine' qualities of independence, pride, courage and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/for-marriage-the-best-man-is-the-man-within-oneself-most-women-need/)

[Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/)

> [“Love is the jelly to sunshine’s peanut butter. And if I tell you that I’m in sandwich with you, I’m not just saying it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/love-is-the-jelly-to-sunshine-s-peanut-butter-and-if-i-tell-you-that/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [Everyone has a masculine and feminine side; masculine qualities and feminine qualities. We've all got these sides to ourselves. And clothes can tell that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/everyone-has-a-masculine-and-feminine-side-masculine-qualities-and/)

[Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/)

> [Masculinity involves feminine qualities, and femininity involves masculine qualities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-levy/masculinity-involves-feminine-qualities-and-femininity-involves/)

[Dan Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-levy/)

> [ \[After being corrected by a grammarian for using the feminine pronoun instead of the pseudogeneric masculine:\] As you please, but for my part, if… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-de-rabutin-chantal-marquise-de-sevigne/after-being-corrected-by-a-grammarian-for-using-the-feminine-pronoun/)

[Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de Sevigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-de-rabutin-chantal-marquise-de-sevigne/)

> [I spent months searching for some secret code before I realized that common sense has nothing to do with it. Hysteria, psychosis, torture, depression:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-spent-months-searching-for-some-secret-code-before-i-realized-that/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [The only bright spot in the entire evening was the presence of Kevin "Tubby" Matchwell, the eleven-year-old porker who tackled the role of Santa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/the-only-bright-spot-in-the-entire-evening-was-the-presence-of-kevin/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [“Some of the younger fishermen, those who used buoys as floats for their lines and had motorboats, bought when the shark livers had brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-of-the-younger-fishermen-those-who-used-buoys-as-floats-for/)

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

> [Men have been adjudicating on what women are, and how they should behave, for millennia through the institutions of social control such as religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-jeffreys/men-have-been-adjudicating-on-what-women-are-and-how-they-should/)

[Sheila Jeffreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-jeffreys/)

> [To awaken chivalry we must return to femininity. We must stop doing the masculine things and become the gentle, tender, dependent women we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-andelin/to-awaken-chivalry-we-must-return-to-femininity-we-must-stop-doing/)

[Helen Andelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-andelin/)

> [Composing a piece of music is very feminine. It is sensitive, emotional, contemplative. By comparison, doing housework is positively masculine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kolb/composing-a-piece-of-music-is-very-feminine-it-is-sensitive-emotional/)

[Barbara Kolb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kolb/)

> [Boys say they don't mind how you get your hair done. But then they leave you for someone with really great standard girl hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-chung/boys-say-they-don-t-mind-how-you-get-your-hair-done-but-then-they/)

[Alexa Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-chung/)

> [What makes a gay icon is someone who possesses both masculine and feminine qualities simultaneously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/what-makes-a-gay-icon-is-someone-who-possesses-both-masculine-and/)

[RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/)

> [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/)

[Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/)

## More by David Sedaris

> [“Plenty of animals had pets, but few were more devoted than the mouse, who owned a baby corn snake—“A rescue snake, she’d be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/plenty-of-animals-had-pets-but-few-were-more-devoted-than-the-mouse/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [“never fall asleep in a Dumpster, never underestimate a bee, never drive a convertible behind a flatbed truck, never get old, never get drunk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/never-fall-asleep-in-a-dumpster-never-underestimate-a-bee-never-drive/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [“It was a father, one hand resting teapot-style on his hip, and the other - what would be the spout - formed into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/it-was-a-father-one-hand-resting-teapot-style-on-his-hip-and-the/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [“A Japanese woman we’d met in Paris came to the apartment yesterday and spent several hours explaining our appliances. The microwave, the water kettle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/a-japanese-woman-we-d-met-in-paris-came-to-the-apartment-yesterday/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [One thing I like about the United States, and I kind of miss about the United States, is there's an election coming up here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/one-thing-i-like-about-the-united-states-and-i-kind-of-miss-about-the/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [When you read comic material and people aren't laughing how do you know they're listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/when-you-read-comic-material-and-people-aren-t-laughing-how-do-you/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [“You have how many children in your family?" the teacher would ask. "I'm guessing you must be Catholic, am I right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-have-how-many-children-in-your-family-the-teacher-would-ask-i-m/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [“Like most seasoned phonies, I roundly suspect that everyone is as disingenuous as I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/like-most-seasoned-phonies-i-roundly-suspect-that-everyone-is-as/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [As a child I assumed that when I reached adulthood, I would have grown-up thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/as-a-child-i-assumed-that-when-i-reached-adulthood-i-would-have-grown/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [“You just take and take don´t you? Out there with your thumb in the air—not a care in the world, just grabbing whatever you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-just-take-and-take-don-t-you-out-there-with-your-thumb-in-the-air/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [In other parts of the country people tried to stay together for the sake of the children. In New York they tried to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/in-other-parts-of-the-country-people-tried-to-stay-together-for-the/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [My boyfriend got me a computer three years ago. I'll admit it does make things a lot easier. When I was working on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/my-boyfriend-got-me-a-computer-three-years-ago-i-ll-admit-it-does/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [I spent months searching for some secret code before I realized that common sense has nothing to do with it. Hysteria, psychosis, torture, depression:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-spent-months-searching-for-some-secret-code-before-i-realized-that/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [I hated leaving a hole in the smoking world, and so I recruited someone to take my place. People have given me a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-hated-leaving-a-hole-in-the-smoking-world-and-so-i-recruited/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [Write relentlessly, until you find your voice. Then, use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/write-relentlessly-until-you-find-your-voice-then-use-it/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

[Explore all 667 David Sedaris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

## More Beard quotes

> [A beard is something that is almost like a mirror to the viewer. When someone sees you wearing a beard, they're seeing something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/a-beard-is-something-that-is-almost-like-a-mirror-to-the-viewer-when/)

[Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/)

> [“Nay! Faith, let me not play a woman! I have a beard coming!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/nay-faith-let-me-not-play-a-woman-i-have-a-beard-coming/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [The barman sidled toward them out of a back room. He was a grump-looking old man with a great deal of a long gray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-barman-sidled-toward-them-out-of-a-back-room-he-was-a-grump/)

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

> [I was born with a beard. We're quite hairy down in Latin America. We don't have to use sponges when we wash dishes. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devendra-banhart/i-was-born-with-a-beard-we-re-quite-hairy-down-in-latin-america-we/)

[Devendra Banhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devendra-banhart/)

> [“beard framing a face that had started to show his age, weathered and lined from years”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allibone/beard-framing-a-face-that-had-started-to-show-his-age-weathered-and/)

[Richard Allibone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allibone/)

> [If I can play, and change the mind of one person about being a Muslim player and having a beard, then I'll feel as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moeen-ali/if-i-can-play-and-change-the-mind-of-one-person-about-being-a-muslim/)

[Moeen Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moeen-ali/)

> [“Pride is like a beard. It is just keeps growing; the solution?- Shave it every day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ong/pride-is-like-a-beard-it-is-just-keeps-growing-the-solution-shave-it/)

[George Ong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ong/)

> [“I have no idea why this is. I’m sure somebody with a beard and too much time on their hands would say it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-spalding/i-have-no-idea-why-this-is-i-m-sure-somebody-with-a-beard-and-too/)

[Nick Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-spalding/)

> [They were bullyin' him, Hermione, 'cause he's so small!" said Hagrid. "Small?" said Hermione. "Small?" "Hermione, I couldn't leave him," said Hagrid, tears now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-were-bullyin-him-hermione-cause-he-s-so-small-said-hagrid-small/)

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

> [“Allow me," said the elf, proffering Gimlet's beard to Frito, who was now sneezing uncontrollably.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-harvard-lampoon/allow-me-said-the-elf-proffering-gimlet-s-beard-to-frito-who-was-now/)

[The Harvard Lampoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-harvard-lampoon/)

> [Never insult a mans beard, you either get thunder or lightning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/never-insult-a-mans-beard-you-either-get-thunder-or-lightning/)

[Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/)

> [If we didn't live venturously, plucking the wild goat by the beard, and trembling over precipices, we should never be depressed, I've no doubt;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/if-we-didn-t-live-venturously-plucking-the-wild-goat-by-the-beard-and/)

[Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/)

> [If I had to choose between the two ways of approaching the deity, I should prefer the existential relational way, to the abstract philosophical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/if-i-had-to-choose-between-the-two-ways-of-approaching-the-deity-i/)

[Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/)

> [“Shave that Moses beard and you might have better luck. Women don’t want to kiss carpet, you know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kody-keplinger/shave-that-moses-beard-and-you-might-have-better-luck-women-don-t/)

[Kody Keplinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kody-keplinger/)

> [If Elmore Leonard met Jim Thompson down a dark alley at midnight they might emerge a week later with thick beards, bloodshot eyes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/if-elmore-leonard-met-jim-thompson-down-a-dark-alley-at-midnight-they/)

[Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/)

[Browse all 588 Beard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beard/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“What's the trick to remembering that a sandwich is masculine? What qualities does it share with anyone in possession of a penis? I'll tell myself that a sandwich is masculine because if left alone for a week or two, it will eventually grow a beard.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Sedaris"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/what-s-the-trick-to-remembering-that-a-sandwich-is-masculine-what/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Beard"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/what-s-the-trick-to-remembering-that-a-sandwich-is-masculine-what/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/david-sedaris-333_beard_what-s-the-trick-to-remembering-that-a-s_611097.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/david-sedaris-333_beard_what-s-the-trick-to-remembering-that-a-s_611097.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/david-sedaris-333_beard_what-s-the-trick-to-remembering-that-a-s_611097.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What's the trick to remembering that a sandwich is masculine? What qualities does it share with anyone in…” — David Sedaris",
                "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": "David Sedaris",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“What's the trick to remembering that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/what-s-the-trick-to-remembering-that-a-sandwich-is-masculine-what/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/what-s-the-trick-to-remembering-that-a-sandwich-is-masculine-what/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
