---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lesbians, homosexuals, masochism, sadism…"
description: "\"Lesbians, homosexuals, masochism, sadism are not perversions. Actually, there are only two perversions: hockey on grass and ballet on ice.\" — Faina Ran..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/faina-ranevskaya-21262_ballet_lesbians-homosexuals-masochism-sadism-ar_990176.jpg"
---

#  Lesbians, homosexuals, masochism, sadism are not…

![“Lesbians, homosexuals, masochism, sadism are not perversions. Actually, there are only two perversions: hockey on grass and ballet on ice.” quote by Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/faina-ranevskaya-21262_ballet_lesbians-homosexuals-masochism-sadism-ar_990176.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/faina-ranevskaya-21262_ballet_lesbians-homosexuals-masochism-sadism-ar_990176.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c8/faina-ranevskaya-21262_ballet_lesbians-homosexuals-masochism-sadism-ar_990176.jpg)

> “Lesbians, homosexuals, masochism, sadism are not perversions. Actually, there are only two perversions: hockey on grass and ballet on ice.”

[Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

## About This Quote

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

The speaker mocks labeling sexual preferences as perversions, humorously suggesting only absurd sports are truly perverse.

**In simple terms:** Sexuality isn’t perverse; absurd sports are.

Key Takeaway

Question societal norms about morality.

Themes

humor sexuality social critique

Mood

playful provocative

Type

satirical critical

When to use this quote

- LGBTQ+ advocacy
- media analysis
- public discourse
- education

Key Concepts

satire cultural commentary

Questions to Reflect On

- How can satire promote understanding?
- What are the limits of comedic critique?

A Different Perspective

Humor may trivialize serious issues for some audiences.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Actually Perversions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually-perversions-2021853/) [Ballet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballet/) [Grass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grass/) [Hockey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hockey/) [Homosexual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexual/) [Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ice/) [Masochism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masochism/) [Perversion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perversion/) [Perversions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perversions-774442/) [Perversions Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perversions-actually-2021852/) [Perversions Hockey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perversions-hockey-2021851/) [Sadism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadism/) [Sadism Perversions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadism-perversions-2021854/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/)

## Related quotes

> [“The most ominous of modern perversions is the shame of appearing naïve if we do not flirt with evil. (La más ominosa de las…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/the-most-ominous-of-modern-perversions-is-the-shame-of-appearing-na/)

[Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/)

> [“Chastity—the most unnatural of all the sexual perversions, he added parenthetically, out of Remy de Gourmont .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/chastity-the-most-unnatural-of-all-the-sexual-perversions-he-added/)

[Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/)

> [“At the logic of fashion, such once-popular perversions as pedophilia and sodomy will become derided cliches, as amusing as pottery ducks on suburban walls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard-2/at-the-logic-of-fashion-such-once-popular-perversions-as-pedophilia/)

[J.G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard-2/)

> [“Chastity: The most unnatural of the sexual perversions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/chastity-the-most-unnatural-of-the-sexual-perversions/)

[Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/)

> [“Chastity is the most unnatural of the sexual perversions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remy-de-gourmont/chastity-is-the-most-unnatural-of-the-sexual-perversions/)

[Remy de Gourmont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remy-de-gourmont/)

> [Public displays of puritanical religiosity mask the private perversions of the real Washington behind closed doors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-esler/public-displays-of-puritanical-religiosity-mask-the-private/)

[Gavin Esler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-esler/)

> [Chastity - the most unnatural of all the sexual perversions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/chastity-the-most-unnatural-of-all-the-sexual-perversions/)

[Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/)

> [“People were suddenly subject to the curse, which caused them to perform for identity instead of operating out of their identity. This has led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-vallotton/people-were-suddenly-subject-to-the-curse-which-caused-them-to/)

[Kris Vallotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-vallotton/)

> [“Far more perversions arise from repression than from expression”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-lynn-ryder/far-more-perversions-arise-from-repression-than-from-expression/)

[Brandi Lynn Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-lynn-ryder/)

> [The perversions are as follows: of royalty, tyranny; of aristocracy, oligarchy; of constitutional government, democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-perversions-are-as-follows-of-royalty-tyranny-of-aristocracy/)

[Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/)

> [If one accepts the 24th and 104th Psalms as scriptural norms, then surface mining and other forms of earth destruction are perversions. If we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/if-one-accepts-the-24th-and-104th-psalms-as-scriptural-norms-then/)

[Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/)

> [“You can just enjoy your little perversions alone. God gave men a hand and five fingers for a reason, you know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lora-leigh/you-can-just-enjoy-your-little-perversions-alone-god-gave-men-a-hand/)

[Lora Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lora-leigh/)

> [Today I believe in the possibility of love; that is why I endeavor to trace its imperfections, its perversions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/today-i-believe-in-the-possibility-of-love-that-is-why-i-endeavor-to/)

[Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/)

> [“the ugliest things in human nature are perversions of good and innocent things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/the-ugliest-things-in-human-nature-are-perversions-of-good-and/)

[C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/)

> [“Sex is now a conceptual act, it's probably only in terms of the perversions that we can make contact with each other at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard-2/sex-is-now-a-conceptual-act-it-s-probably-only-in-terms-of-the/)

[J.G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard-2/)

## More by Faina Ranevskaya

> [All my life I've swam in the loo butterfly style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faina-ranevskaya/all-my-life-i-ve-swam-in-the-loo-butterfly-style/)

[Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

> [You cannot cure sclerosis, but you can forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faina-ranevskaya/you-cannot-cure-sclerosis-but-you-can-forget-it/)

[Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

> [It has always been incomprehensible for me: people are ashamed of the poverty but aren't ashamed of the wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faina-ranevskaya/it-has-always-been-incomprehensible-for-me-people-are-ashamed-of-the/)

[Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

> [Optimism is lack of information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faina-ranevskaya/optimism-is-lack-of-information/)

[Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

> [God created women beautiful - so that men can love them - and stupid - so that they can love men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faina-ranevskaya/god-created-women-beautiful-so-that-men-can-love-them-and-stupid-so/)

[Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

> [Like all people in love, I was obnoxious and stupid, threatened suicide...And the one I was supposed to make worry only giggled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faina-ranevskaya/like-all-people-in-love-i-was-obnoxious-and-stupid-threatened-suicide/)

[Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

> [When you get married, you'll understand what happiness is. But then it will be too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faina-ranevskaya/when-you-get-married-you-ll-understand-what-happiness-is-but-then-it/)

[Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

> [“Everybody complain about their appearance and nobody about their brains.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faina-ranevskaya/everybody-complain-about-their-appearance-and-nobody-about-their/)

[Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

> [Beauty is a horrible power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faina-ranevskaya/beauty-is-a-horrible-power/)

[Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

> [Women are, of course, more intelligent. Have you ever heard of a woman that would lose her head only because a man has pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faina-ranevskaya/women-are-of-course-more-intelligent-have-you-ever-heard-of-a-woman/)

[Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

> [On should life his life in such a way that even bastards remember him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faina-ranevskaya/on-should-life-his-life-in-such-a-way-that-even-bastards-remember-him/)

[Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

> [I had enough brain to live a stupid life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faina-ranevskaya/i-had-enough-brain-to-live-a-stupid-life/)

[Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

> [I've been smart enough to have lived my life stupidly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faina-ranevskaya/i-ve-been-smart-enough-to-have-lived-my-life-stupidly/)

[Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

> [Women critics are amazons in climax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faina-ranevskaya/women-critics-are-amazons-in-climax/)

[Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

> [A real man is one who remembers the lady's birthday, but never knows how old she is. A man who never remembers her birthday,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faina-ranevskaya/a-real-man-is-one-who-remembers-the-lady-s-birthday-but-never-knows/)

[Faina Ranevskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

[Explore all 29 Faina Ranevskaya quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faina-ranevskaya/)

## More Ballet quotes

> [“Afterwards Isabelle often wondered if the moments themselves were greater or the memory of them. At least the memory did not pass, while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bentley/afterwards-isabelle-often-wondered-if-the-moments-themselves-were/)

[Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/)

> [One can be a great artist without being a great technician. There have been many famous ballet stars who did not have the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-bujones/one-can-be-a-great-artist-without-being-a-great-technician-there-have/)

[Fernando Bujones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-bujones/)

> [So I'm studying ballet every day and really training so people will see me as a ballet dancer, which no one's seen before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sutton-foster/so-i-m-studying-ballet-every-day-and-really-training-so-people-will/)

[Sutton Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sutton-foster/)

> [No matter the style, the farther one goes the more obstacles increase, and the more distant appears the object it is desired to attain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-georges-noverre/no-matter-the-style-the-farther-one-goes-the-more-obstacles-increase/)

[Jean-Georges Noverre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-georges-noverre/)

> [What I love most about ballet is being able to express my emotions through dance, and to be able to bring others joy through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-deprince/what-i-love-most-about-ballet-is-being-able-to-express-my-emotions/)

[Michaela DePrince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-deprince/)

> [It is not a question of who dances but of who or what does not dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-st-denis/it-is-not-a-question-of-who-dances-but-of-who-or-what-does-not-dance/)

[Ruth St. Denis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-st-denis/)

> [Ballet is pure and demands that you serve something larger than yourself, whether it be beauty or art, or a combination of both. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-martins/ballet-is-pure-and-demands-that-you-serve-something-larger-than/)

[Peter Martins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-martins/)

> [Even though I am a professional, and I know what the steps are, I don't quite know how I'm going to do them, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-farrell/even-though-i-am-a-professional-and-i-know-what-the-steps-are-i-don-t/)

[Suzanne Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-farrell/)

> [I'd rather be a guy that can build a house or fix a car than be able to walk like a ballet dancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/i-d-rather-be-a-guy-that-can-build-a-house-or-fix-a-car-than-be-able/)

[Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/)

> [When I was 16, I moved to Torrance, California to train at a more advanced studio, and by 19, I joined the American Ballet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/when-i-was-16-i-moved-to-torrance-california-to-train-at-a-more/)

[Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/)

> [Bob's work gleaned from hoofing, from vaudeville, from ballet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/bob-s-work-gleaned-from-hoofing-from-vaudeville-from-ballet/)

[Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/)

> [You can imagine me as a kid growing up in redneck Texas with ballet shoes, tucking the violin under my arm. I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-swayze/you-can-imagine-me-as-a-kid-growing-up-in-redneck-texas-with-ballet/)

[Patrick Swayze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-swayze/)

> [I only started writing in the latter days of Spandau Ballet. I didnt know I could write because all had our roles within the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hadley/i-only-started-writing-in-the-latter-days-of-spandau-ballet-i-didnt/)

[Tony Hadley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hadley/)

> [All ballet, all reading, all music. That was my world, my inner world,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalia-makarova/all-ballet-all-reading-all-music-that-was-my-world-my-inner-world/)

[Natalia Makarova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalia-makarova/)

> [I can dance. I like hip hop and stuff and jazz movements, but I'm horrible in ballet. I tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keke-palmer/i-can-dance-i-like-hip-hop-and-stuff-and-jazz-movements-but-i-m/)

[Keke Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keke-palmer/)

[Browse all 1,227 Ballet quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballet/)

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