--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We contended that whatever diminishes the…" description: "\"“We contended that whatever diminishes the sense of superiority in men makes them more manly, brotherly, and pleasant to have about; we felt sure that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/frances-e-willard-25037_art_we-contended-that-whatever-diminishes-th_1249824.jpg" --- # We contended that whatever diminishes the sense of… ![“We contended that whatever diminishes the sense of superiority in men makes them more manly, brotherly, and pleasant to have about; we felt sure that the bluff, the swagger, the bravado of young men would not outlive the mastery of the outdoor arts in which his sister is now successfully…” quote by Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/frances-e-willard-25037_art_we-contended-that-whatever-diminishes-th_1249824.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/frances-e-willard-25037_art_we-contended-that-whatever-diminishes-th_1249824.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/frances-e-willard-25037_art_we-contended-that-whatever-diminishes-th_1249824.jpg) > ““We contended that whatever diminishes the sense of superiority in men makes them more manly, brotherly, and pleasant to have about; we felt sure that the bluff, the swagger, the bravado of young men would not outlive the mastery of the outdoor arts in which his sister is now successfully engaged...indeed, we felt that if she continued to improve after the fashion of the last decade her physical achievements will be such that it will become the pride of many a ruddy youth to be known as "that girl's brother.”” [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) ## 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 argues that reducing male arrogance through shared competence and humility makes men more cooperative and pleasant, especially when women excel in traditionally male domains. **In simple terms:** Humility and shared achievement improve male behavior. Key Takeaway Encourage humility and shared competence. Themes gender roles humility cooperation masculinity family dynamics Mood reflective optimistic Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - sports teams - family mentorship - community projects - educational programs Key Concepts social psychology gender studies self‑esteem Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster humility without reinforcing gender stereotypes? - What structures support shared achievement? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic barriers that prevent women from gaining recognition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Brotherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brotherhood/) [Gender equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender-equality/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Sisters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sisters/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Young men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-men/) ## Related quotes > [The superiority of some men is merely local. They are great because their associates are little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-superiority-of-some-men-is-merely-local-they-are-great-because/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Censure is willingly indulged, because it always implies some superiority: men please themselves with imagining that they have made a deeper search, or wider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/censure-is-willingly-indulged-because-it-always-implies-some/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“A man cannot un-see the truth. He cannot willingly return to darkness or go blind once he has the gift of sight, anymore than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-haythe/a-man-cannot-un-see-the-truth-he-cannot-willingly-return-to-darkness/) Justin Haythe > [I could do whatever I wanted as a girl, whatever my brother did. I could play against the boys and achieve whatever they did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-delle-donne/i-could-do-whatever-i-wanted-as-a-girl-whatever-my-brother-did-i/) [Elena Delle Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-delle-donne/) > [Some people ask me whether I'm a 'mama's girl' or a 'papa's girl.' I'm nobody's girl. My brother clings to our parents; I'm the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayden-panettiere/some-people-ask-me-whether-i-m-a-mama-s-girl-or-a-papa-s-girl-i-m/) [Hayden Panettiere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayden-panettiere/) > [Gay story: girl meets boy, girl likes boy, boy likes girl's brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anon-a-mouse/gay-story-girl-meets-boy-girl-likes-boy-boy-likes-girl-s-brother/) Anon-A-Mouse > [“Miss Bennet was therefore established as a sweet girl, and their brother felt authorized by such a commendation to think of her as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/miss-bennet-was-therefore-established-as-a-sweet-girl-and-their/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“All of the above," Yael stated. "No kissing, no sex, and no corruption. Nothing that goes past friendship. From now on, we treat her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaymin-eve-trickery-curse-of-the-gods/all-of-the-above-yael-stated-no-kissing-no-sex-and-no-corruption/) Jaymin Eve, Trickery(Curse of the Gods > [Boy drops girl at home, he puts his hand on the wall by the gate for support,leans towards her. BOY : Can I kiss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arcine-arciniegas/boy-drops-girl-at-home-he-puts-his-hand-on-the-wall-by-the-gate-for/) [Arcine Arciniegas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arcine-arciniegas/) > [A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/a-woman-with-a-voice-is-by-definition-a-strong-woman-but-the-search/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [“Shouting about gender equality once a year doesn't end the patriarchal and misogynistic stereotypes. We must live every day as women's day, only then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/shouting-about-gender-equality-once-a-year-doesn-t-end-the/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“As the postwoman waited, she dreamed of all the things she liked….Tiny postal stamps with colourful pictures. Thick postcards with exotic fragrances. Brown envelopes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyadarshini/as-the-postwoman-waited-she-dreamed-of-all-the-things-she-liked-tiny/) [Priyadarshini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyadarshini/) > [“The Vishaka judgment made it clear that gender equality and the right to a safe and secure working place is part of the fundamental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justice-asok-kumar-ganguly/the-vishaka-judgment-made-it-clear-that-gender-equality-and-the-right/) [Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justice-asok-kumar-ganguly/) > [Sporting events like the Olympics have developed and maintained a clear message of promoting gender equality as an essential criterion in the success of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-attias/sporting-events-like-the-olympics-have-developed-and-maintained-a/) [Richard Attias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-attias/) > [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) ## More by Frances E. Willard > [Temperance is moderation in the things that are good and total abstinence from the things that are foul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/temperance-is-moderation-in-the-things-that-are-good-and-total/) [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) > [“The opacity of the mind, its inability to project itself into the realm of another's personality, goes a long way to explain the friction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/the-opacity-of-the-mind-its-inability-to-project-itself-into-the/) [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) > [“Another writer argued in an 1895 issue of the Cosmopolitan that by riding a bicycle, a woman would "become mistress of herself," transformed into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/another-writer-argued-in-an-1895-issue-of-the-cosmopolitan-that-by/) [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) > [In externals we advance with lightening express speed, in modes of thought and sympathy we lumber on in stage-coach fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/in-externals-we-advance-with-lightening-express-speed-in-modes-of/) [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) > [This seems to be the law of progress in everything we do; it moves along a spiral rather than a perpendicular; we seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/this-seems-to-be-the-law-of-progress-in-everything-we-do-it-moves/) [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) > [The world is wide, and I will not waste my life in friction when it could be turned into momentum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/the-world-is-wide-and-i-will-not-waste-my-life-in-friction-when-it/) [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) > [I finally concluded that all failure was from a wobbling will rather than a wobbling wheel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/i-finally-concluded-that-all-failure-was-from-a-wobbling-will-rather/) [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) > [God is action - let us be like God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/god-is-action-let-us-be-like-god/) [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) > [If women can organize missionary societies, temperance societies, and every kind of charitable organization... why not permit them to be ordained to preach the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/if-women-can-organize-missionary-societies-temperance-societies-and/) [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) > [“That which caused the many failures I had in learning the bicycle had caused me failures in life; namely, a certain fearful looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/that-which-caused-the-many-failures-i-had-in-learning-the-bicycle-had/) [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) > [“In 1895, Ann Strong declared in the Minneapolis Tribune that bicycles were "just as good company as most husbands" and that when a bicycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/in-1895-ann-strong-declared-in-the-minneapolis-tribune-that-bicycles/) [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) > [Tens of thousands who could never afford to own, feed and stable a horse, had by this bright invention enjoyed the swiftness of motion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/tens-of-thousands-who-could-never-afford-to-own-feed-and-stable-a/) [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) > [Wanted: More Praise I cannot help believing that the world will be a better and a happier place when people are praised more and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/wanted-more-praise-i-cannot-help-believing-that-the-world-will-be-a/) [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) > [If I am asked to explain why I learned the bicycle I should say I did it as an act of grace, if not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/if-i-am-asked-to-explain-why-i-learned-the-bicycle-i-should-say-i-did/) [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) > [“If women patronize the wheel the number of buyers will be twice as large. If women ride they must, when riding, dress more rationally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-e-willard/if-women-patronize-the-wheel-the-number-of-buyers-will-be-twice-as/) [Frances E. Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) [Explore all 23 Frances E. Willard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-e-willard/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. 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