--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing is, what most people don't…" description: "\"The thing is, what most people don't understand is that there are so many of us growing up in Europe who are not free to be ourselves. We're not allowe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/deeyah-khan-10838_europe_the-thing-is-what-most-people-don-t-unde_1395049.jpg" --- # The thing is, what most people don't understand is that… ![“The thing is, what most people don't understand is that there are so many of us growing up in Europe who are not free to be ourselves. We're not allowed to be who we are. We are not free to marry or to be in relationships with people that we choose. We can't even pick our own career. This is the…” quote by Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/deeyah-khan-10838_europe_the-thing-is-what-most-people-don-t-unde_1395049.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/deeyah-khan-10838_europe_the-thing-is-what-most-people-don-t-unde_1395049.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/deeyah-khan-10838_europe_the-thing-is-what-most-people-don-t-unde_1395049.jpg) > “The thing is, what most people don't understand is that there are so many of us growing up in Europe who are not free to be ourselves. We're not allowed to be who we are. We are not free to marry or to be in relationships with people that we choose. We can't even pick our own career. This is the norm in the Muslim heartlands of Europe.” [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many European Muslims lack freedom to express identity, choose partners, or careers due to cultural constraints. **In simple terms:** Freedom to be oneself is restricted for many Muslims in Europe. Key Takeaway Advocate for personal liberty and cultural understanding. Themes freedom identity cultural oppression human rights Mood empathetic urgent Type social political When to use this quote - immigration policy - community activism - education - legal reform Key Concepts sociology human rights law gender studies Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance cultural traditions with individual rights? - What role does policy play in protecting personal freedom? A Different Perspective The statement may not represent all Muslim experiences across Europe. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Europe Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe-free-625599/) [Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free/) [Free Marry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-marry-1674280/) [Growing Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-europe-4873349/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Muslim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muslim/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) [Relationships People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships-people/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) ## Related quotes > [You're not free if you can't marry the person you love because a county clerk is imposing his or her interpretation of religion on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/you-re-not-free-if-you-can-t-marry-the-person-you-love-because-a/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [The U.S.-E.U. partnership is indispensable to ensuring a Europe whole, free, and at peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-shaheen/the-u-s-e-u-partnership-is-indispensable-to-ensuring-a-europe-whole/) [Jeanne Shaheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-shaheen/) > [My 40 years in the foreign service and the careers of many of my friends became associated with the fall of the Soviet Empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-fried/my-40-years-in-the-foreign-service-and-the-careers-of-many-of-my/) [Daniel Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-fried/) > [Some countries of Europe have to free themselves from the US Empire. 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My ex-wife committed adultery and does not want me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genevieve-woods/the-bible-says-i-m-free-to-marry-my-ex-wife-committed-adultery-and/) [Genevieve Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genevieve-woods/) > [You marry out of free will. If I marry, it will be from a personal choice, not some social compulsion or norm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonam-kapoor/you-marry-out-of-free-will-if-i-marry-it-will-be-from-a-personal/) [Sonam Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonam-kapoor/) > [Muslim women can save the world from ISIS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/muslim-women-can-save-the-world-from-isis/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [The problem with Muslim women is less that we cannot speak the language, but that no one listens to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/the-problem-with-muslim-women-is-less-that-we-cannot-speak-the/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Left to the mercies of their communities, Muslim women and children remain in abusive households and face losing their financial security over issues like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/left-to-the-mercies-of-their-communities-muslim-women-and-children/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Freedom of expression is essential for feminists and dissidents in the Muslim world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/freedom-of-expression-is-essential-for-feminists-and-dissidents-in/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) ## More by Deeyah Khan > [There is no psychiatric pattern which can predict who becomes an extremist - but they are all frustrated with their reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/there-is-no-psychiatric-pattern-which-can-predict-who-becomes-an/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [The state has a duty to protect all its citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/the-state-has-a-duty-to-protect-all-its-citizens/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [We need to be able to guarantee the safety of all artists and activists for human rights so that it no longer takes extraordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/we-need-to-be-able-to-guarantee-the-safety-of-all-artists-and/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > ['Honour'-based violence is a form of domestic violence. Domestic violence is a broad category.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/honour-based-violence-is-a-form-of-domestic-violence-domestic/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Self-expression should not be a challenge that demands extraordinary talent but should be a right accessible to all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/self-expression-should-not-be-a-challenge-that-demands-extraordinary/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [The problem with Muslim women is less that we cannot speak the language, but that no one listens to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/the-problem-with-muslim-women-is-less-that-we-cannot-speak-the/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Freedom of expression is essential for feminists and dissidents in the Muslim world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/freedom-of-expression-is-essential-for-feminists-and-dissidents-in/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [We need more courageous individuals who will defy the structures of power, whether political, economic, or intimate, but we also need it to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/we-need-more-courageous-individuals-who-will-defy-the-structures-of/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Our media provides a continuing message that for men, heroism is defined through association with control, independence, and the ability to commit violence, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/our-media-provides-a-continuing-message-that-for-men-heroism-is/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Muslim women can save the world from ISIS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/muslim-women-can-save-the-world-from-isis/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Like Theresa May, I regularly find myself infuriated by the rantings of Anjem Choudary and other hate preachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/like-theresa-may-i-regularly-find-myself-infuriated-by-the-rantings/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Women's empowerment, whether through legal, financial, or cultural routes, will tend to increase their agency and their ability to take part in activism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/women-s-empowerment-whether-through-legal-financial-or-cultural/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Left to the mercies of their communities, Muslim women and children remain in abusive households and face losing their financial security over issues like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/left-to-the-mercies-of-their-communities-muslim-women-and-children/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Women with education, skills, and independent sources of income are more able to withstand the pressures of the patriarchal family and more able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/women-with-education-skills-and-independent-sources-of-income-are/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [We cannot leave vulnerable young men open to the exploitation of extremists, both for our own security and their own wellbeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/we-cannot-leave-vulnerable-young-men-open-to-the-exploitation-of/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) [Explore all 63 Deeyah Khan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) ## More Europe quotes > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. 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Buckley Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr-2/) > [I'm from Europe, England, and I actually lived in Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/i-m-from-europe-england-and-i-actually-lived-in-italy/) [Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/) > [Europe is creating the flight of refugees that's tearing it apart politically, and leading rightwing nationalist parties to gain power to withdraw from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/europe-is-creating-the-flight-of-refugees-that-s-tearing-it-apart/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [We witness anti-Semitic attacks in the heart of Europe. We hear anti-Semitic slanders in European media. 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