--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was young, boys didn't type." description: "\"When I was young, boys didn't type.\" — Fran Lebowitz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b45/fran-lebowitz-690_boys_when-i-was-young-boys-didn-t-type-162312_1623127.png" --- # When I was young, boys didn't type. ![“When I was young, boys didn't type.” quote by Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b45/fran-lebowitz-690_boys_when-i-was-young-boys-didn-t-type-162312_1623127.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b45/fran-lebowitz-690_boys_when-i-was-young-boys-didn-t-type-162312_1623127.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b45/fran-lebowitz-690_boys_when-i-was-young-boys-didn-t-type-162312_1623127.png) > “When I was young, boys didn't type.” [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote humorously notes that historically, typing was a skill associated with women, reflecting gendered expectations in technology. **In simple terms:** Boys used to avoid typing. Key Takeaway Question gender stereotypes in tech skills. Themes gender technology stereotypes history Mood wry observational Type cultural social commentary When to use this quote - education - workplace - media representation - family dynamics Key Concepts feminist theory social norms Questions to Reflect On - How have gender roles in tech evolved? - What barriers still exist for women in tech? A Different Perspective The observation may oversimplify complex social changes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [“As far as I could tell, he earned his hundred thousand a year by wandering the hallway with a Styrofoam cup of coffee, smiling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/as-far-as-i-could-tell-he-earned-his-hundred-thousand-a-year-by/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [“The boys didn’t say a word. They stared at their mother, through to the back of her eyes, looking for her, but unable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holliday-vann/the-boys-didn-t-say-a-word-they-stared-at-their-mother-through-to-the/) [Holliday Vann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holliday-vann/) > [School was great. There were no boys there, which didn't really bother me at the time because I had two brothers, so I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/school-was-great-there-were-no-boys-there-which-didn-t-really-bother/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [“Well, I am glad you boys didn't try to use my saws, or we would really have a mess," Big Tim teased.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-preston/well-i-am-glad-you-boys-didn-t-try-to-use-my-saws-or-we-would-really/) [Gretchen Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-preston/) > [I was never pretty enough to be the pretty girl and I was never quirky enough to be the quirky girl. Boys didn't look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lea-michele/i-was-never-pretty-enough-to-be-the-pretty-girl-and-i-was-never/) [Lea Michele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lea-michele/) > [Like, I played baseball with all boys. They didn't want to play catch with me. I mean, it's the story of everything I've done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mendoza/like-i-played-baseball-with-all-boys-they-didn-t-want-to-play-catch/) [Jessica Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mendoza/) > [My mother told me to stay away from boys, but that didn't work out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-ramsay/my-mother-told-me-to-stay-away-from-boys-but-that-didn-t-work-out/) [Lynne Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-ramsay/) > [“I had no interest in football or basketball but had learned it was best to pretend otherwise. If a boy didn’t care for barbecued…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-had-no-interest-in-football-or-basketball-but-had-learned-it-was/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“And at that age, the only boys I didn’t think were gross were dead scientists – and it’s not like I wanted to kiss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-cross/and-at-that-age-the-only-boys-i-didn-t-think-were-gross-were-dead/) [Sarah Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-cross/) > [I didn't know what gay was. There was no such thing when I was growing up. I knew I had crushes on boys, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevyn-aucoin/i-didn-t-know-what-gay-was-there-was-no-such-thing-when-i-was-growing/) [Kevyn Aucoin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevyn-aucoin/) > [“As I’m concerned, Fin, you did not fuck up. Those boys didn’t touch my daughter. So the way I see it, as her man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/as-i-m-concerned-fin-you-did-not-fuck-up-those-boys-didn-t-touch-my/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [If you polled them the year I graduated, they would have said that I was a slut, and the most I had ever done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/if-you-polled-them-the-year-i-graduated-they-would-have-said-that-i/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [Youth is an amazing thing: I think back on when we did The Lost Boys, and I didn't think I could do anything wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/youth-is-an-amazing-thing-i-think-back-on-when-we-did-the-lost-boys/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [I've always felt heroic about my life... As a child, I remember little girls in the playground moaning about how boys could do more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-ve-always-felt-heroic-about-my-life-as-a-child-i-remember-little/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [It's cute when you meet young boys and they're bright red and breathing like they've run up the stairs, but they're just sitting outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-diaz/it-s-cute-when-you-meet-young-boys-and-they-re-bright-red-and/) [Cameron Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-diaz/) ## More by Fran Lebowitz > [Why not have your first baby at sixty, when your husband is already dead and your career is over? Then you can really devote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/why-not-have-your-first-baby-at-sixty-when-your-husband-is-already/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [I've never had the experience of being edited and never will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-ve-never-had-the-experience-of-being-edited-and-never-will/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [I think humor is warmer, and wit is colder. Wit is judgment, whereas humor invites some sort of response.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-think-humor-is-warmer-and-wit-is-colder-wit-is-judgment-whereas/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Communists all seem to wear small caps, a look I consider better suited to tubes of toothpaste than to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/communists-all-seem-to-wear-small-caps-a-look-i-consider-better/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [“lack, or loutish and crass kollective is a program dedicated to the proposition that vulgarity and bad taste are an inalienable right. the lackies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/lack-or-loutish-and-crass-kollective-is-a-program-dedicated-to-the/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [I figure you have the same chance of winning the lottery whether you play or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-figure-you-have-the-same-chance-of-winning-the-lottery-whether-you/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [ \[Friendships\] are easy to get out of compared to love affairs, but they are not easy to get out of compared to, say, jail. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/friendships-are-easy-to-get-out-of-compared-to-love-affairs-but-they/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Smoking is, as far as I'm concerned, the entire point of being an adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/smoking-is-as-far-as-i-m-concerned-the-entire-point-of-being-an-adult/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [If you want to get ahead in this world get a lawyer -- not a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/if-you-want-to-get-ahead-in-this-world-get-a-lawyer-not-a-book/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [When it comes to sports I am not particularly interested. Generally speaking, I look upon them as dangerous and tiring activities performed by people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/when-it-comes-to-sports-i-am-not-particularly-interested-generally/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [The first time I ever saw platform shoes in the '70s, I knew they'd been revived from the '40s, and I felt sickened. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/the-first-time-i-ever-saw-platform-shoes-in-the-70s-i-knew-they-d/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Children ask better questions than adults. "May I have a cookie?" "Why is the sky blue?" and "What does a cow say?" are far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/children-ask-better-questions-than-adults-may-i-have-a-cookie-why-is/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [ I do not think everyone is created equal. In fact, I know they're not. \[The Constitution\] means that everyone should have the same laws… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/i-do-not-think-everyone-is-created-equal-in-fact-i-know-they-re-not/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [When I fly, I'm never afraid the plane is going to crash. But there have often been times when I was afraid it wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/when-i-fly-i-m-never-afraid-the-plane-is-going-to-crash-but-there/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Smoking is, if not my life, then at least my hobby. I love to smoke. Smoking is fun. Smoking is cool. Smoking is, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/smoking-is-if-not-my-life-then-at-least-my-hobby-i-love-to-smoke/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) [Explore all 408 Fran Lebowitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) ## More Boys quotes > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [Lets face it this world is ruled by girls that why we must away pleases our girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/lets-face-it-this-world-is-ruled-by-girls-that-why-we-must-away/) MrAwesome > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/) [Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/) > [In the middle of a play, I go crazy and don't realize what I'm doing. I'll snap back to reality and I realize, 'Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bosworth/in-the-middle-of-a-play-i-go-crazy-and-don-t-realize-what-i-m-doing-i/) [Brian Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bosworth/) > [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/) [Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/) > [The tie's a multi purpose accessory, y'know, belt, school boy, Rambo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/the-tie-s-a-multi-purpose-accessory-y-know-belt-school-boy-rambo/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) > [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/) [Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [She had been dragged in the most humiliating of all dusts, the dust reserved for older women who let themselves be approached, on amorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/she-had-been-dragged-in-the-most-humiliating-of-all-dusts-the-dust/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) [Browse all 7,168 Boys quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was young, boys didn't type.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fran Lebowitz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/when-i-was-young-boys-didn-t-type/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boys" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/when-i-was-young-boys-didn-t-type/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b45/fran-lebowitz-690_boys_when-i-was-young-boys-didn-t-type-162312_1623127.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b45/fran-lebowitz-690_boys_when-i-was-young-boys-didn-t-type-162312_1623127.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b45/fran-lebowitz-690_boys_when-i-was-young-boys-didn-t-type-162312_1623127.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was young, boys didn't type.” — Fran Lebowitz", "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": "Fran Lebowitz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was young, boys didn't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/when-i-was-young-boys-didn-t-type/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/when-i-was-young-boys-didn-t-type/#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 } } ] } ```