--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I grew up, you wanted to look like…" description: "\"When I grew up, you wanted to look like Marlene Dietrich, Betty Grable. Fortunately, I didn't know that I really wanted to look like Lena Horne. When I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/dorian-corey-52855_black_when-i-grew-up-you-wanted-to-look-like-m_2049416.jpg" --- # When I grew up, you wanted to look like Marlene Dietrich… ![“When I grew up, you wanted to look like Marlene Dietrich, Betty Grable. Fortunately, I didn't know that I really wanted to look like Lena Horne. When I grew up... black stars were stigmatized. Nobody wanted to look like Lena Horne.” quote by Dorian Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/dorian-corey-52855_black_when-i-grew-up-you-wanted-to-look-like-m_2049416.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/dorian-corey-52855_black_when-i-grew-up-you-wanted-to-look-like-m_2049416.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/dorian-corey-52855_black_when-i-grew-up-you-wanted-to-look-like-m_2049416.jpg) > “When I grew up, you wanted to look like Marlene Dietrich, Betty Grable. Fortunately, I didn't know that I really wanted to look like Lena Horne. When I grew up... black stars were stigmatized. Nobody wanted to look like Lena Horne.” [Dorian Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-corey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A realization that early aspirations were influenced by mainstream ideals, later recognizing a deeper, authentic desire for representation and empowerment. **In simple terms:** Early role models were mainstream; true desire was for authentic representation. Key Takeaway Seek authentic representation. Themes identity representation media race selfdiscovery Mood reflective thoughtful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - fashion choices - career aspirations - media consumption - personal identity formation Key Concepts cultural studies psychology social identity Questions to Reflect On - How do early media influences shape self‑image? - What steps can you take to honor authentic role models? A Different Perspective Societal norms can obscure personal desires. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-star/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) ## Related quotes > [I see ya waiting for the bus early in the morn', brick house with a face like Lena Horne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coolio/i-see-ya-waiting-for-the-bus-early-in-the-morn-brick-house-with-a/) [Coolio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coolio/) > [I look at the careers of people I'm standing on the shoulders of. People like Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr., and Sarah…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dionne-warwick/i-look-at-the-careers-of-people-i-m-standing-on-the-shoulders-of/) [Dionne Warwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dionne-warwick/) > [As a little girl growing up in a small farming town in Michigan, my idols were women like Marlene Dietrich and Rita Hayworth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dita-von-teese/as-a-little-girl-growing-up-in-a-small-farming-town-in-michigan-my/) [Dita Von Teese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dita-von-teese/) > [“History was a bitch sometimes. You couldn’t change where you were from. But still, you didn’t have to stay there. You didn’t have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/history-was-a-bitch-sometimes-you-couldn-t-change-where-you-were-from-2/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [You look at women like Lena Dunham, you look at how women are kind of crafting their own space on the screen. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danai-gurira/you-look-at-women-like-lena-dunham-you-look-at-how-women-are-kind-of/) [Danai Gurira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danai-gurira/) > [When you have filmmakers like Justin Simien, writers, producers, actresses like Lena Waithe, who are people of color, they're creating their own content and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teyonah-parris/when-you-have-filmmakers-like-justin-simien-writers-producers/) [Teyonah Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teyonah-parris/) > [“Like why Lena always thought of Ritz crackers when she shaved her legs. Who knew why? And did it even matter?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/like-why-lena-always-thought-of-ritz-crackers-when-she-shaved-her/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [I think people like Lena Dunham really opened up the door to what was possible, and they've inspired young women to go into filmmaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-think-people-like-lena-dunham-really-opened-up-the-door-to-what-was/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [People are often surprised by the fact that I laugh a lot, that I look like Lena Dunham, and that I don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-fidell/people-are-often-surprised-by-the-fact-that-i-laugh-a-lot-that-i-look/) Hannah Fidell > [You are a white. The Imperial Wizard. Now, if you don't think this is logic you can burn me on the fiery cross. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/you-are-a-white-the-imperial-wizard-now-if-you-don-t-think-this-is/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [I went to a lot of theatre. My parents were very involved with the performing arts. I went to nightclub shows when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lainie-kazan/i-went-to-a-lot-of-theatre-my-parents-were-very-involved-with-the/) [Lainie Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lainie-kazan/) > [People like Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, Marlene Dietrich and Sammy Davis Jr. all walked me down this path of entertainment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dionne-warwick/people-like-ella-fitzgerald-lena-horne-marlene-dietrich-and-sammy/) [Dionne Warwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dionne-warwick/) > [There are days when I'm completely obsessed with Kate Bush, and there are days when I'm completely obsessed with the Eurythmics. Then it's Aretha…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-erivo/there-are-days-when-i-m-completely-obsessed-with-kate-bush-and-there/) [Cynthia Erivo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-erivo/) > [“It's not the weight of the load, but how you carry it. ~Lena Horne~”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trenice-carter/it-s-not-the-weight-of-the-load-but-how-you-carry-it-lena-horne/) Trenice Carter > [“I love Lena Horne's "It's not the load that breaks you down. It's the way you carry it." And Annie Dillard"s roughly remembered: Sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeri-parker/i-love-lena-horne-s-it-s-not-the-load-that-breaks-you-down-it-s-the/) Jeri Parker ## More by Dorian Corey > [If you shoot an arrow and it goes real high... Hooray for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-corey/if-you-shoot-an-arrow-and-it-goes-real-high-hooray-for-you/) [Dorian Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-corey/) > [“If you shoot an arrow and it goes real high...hurray for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-corey/if-you-shoot-an-arrow-and-it-goes-real-high-hurray-for-you/) [Dorian Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-corey/) > [If everybody went to balls and did less drugs, itd be a fun world, wouldnt it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-corey/if-everybody-went-to-balls-and-did-less-drugs-itd-be-a-fun-world/) [Dorian Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-corey/) > [You get in a smart crack, and everyone laughs and kikis because you've found a flaw and exaggerated it, then you've got a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-corey/you-get-in-a-smart-crack-and-everyone-laughs-and-kikis-because-you-ve/) [Dorian Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-corey/) > [I always had hopes of being a big star. But as you get older, you aim a little lower. Everybody wants to make an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-corey/i-always-had-hopes-of-being-a-big-star-but-as-you-get-older-you-aim-a/) [Dorian Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-corey/) > [In real life, you can't get a job as an executive unless you have the educational background and the opportunity. Now the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-corey/in-real-life-you-can-t-get-a-job-as-an-executive-unless-you-have-the/) [Dorian Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-corey/) [Explore all 7 Dorian Corey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-corey/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. 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We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I grew up, you wanted to look like Marlene Dietrich, Betty Grable. Fortunately, I didn't know that I really wanted to look like Lena Horne. When I grew up... black stars were stigmatized. 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