--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My disability, it transpired, was the…" description: "\"“My disability, it transpired, was the least of my problems. The real question became: how do I defend myself against the constant onslaught of pressur..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/431/francesca-mart-nez-25883_good-enough_my-disability-it-transpired-was-the-leas_1117465.jpg" --- # My disability, it transpired, was the least of my… ![“My disability, it transpired, was the least of my problems. The real question became: how do I defend myself against the constant onslaught of pressures to conform to unrealistic ideals? It’s odd that society has chosen to promote such destructive ideas. Who decided that? And when? I must have…” quote by Francesca Martínez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/431/francesca-mart-nez-25883_good-enough_my-disability-it-transpired-was-the-leas_1117465.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/431/francesca-mart-nez-25883_good-enough_my-disability-it-transpired-was-the-leas_1117465.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/431/francesca-mart-nez-25883_good-enough_my-disability-it-transpired-was-the-leas_1117465.jpg) > ““My disability, it transpired, was the least of my problems. The real question became: how do I defend myself against the constant onslaught of pressures to conform to unrealistic ideals? It’s odd that society has chosen to promote such destructive ideas. Who decided that? And when? I must have missed that meeting. Surely it’s not just an accident that the Western world has adopted ‘YOU’RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH’ as one of its primary slogans. And, why has it been so furiously promoted when it creates such damaging beliefs in people? The society I was born into proclaims that people shouldn’t have to ‘suffer’ from disability but is more than happy to embrace values that cause widespread suffering. It doesn’t make sense. At all.”” [Francesca Martínez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) ## 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 critiques societal pressure to conform to unrealistic ideals, especially regarding disability, and how harmful slogans perpetuate suffering. **In simple terms:** Society pushes unrealistic ideals, causing suffering, especially for disabled people. Key Takeaway Challenge harmful norms and support authentic self‑acceptance. Themes societal pressure disability conformity mental health culture Mood frustrated reflective Type critical personal essay When to use this quote - advocacy for disabled rights - mental health awareness - media literacy - community support Key Concepts social critique identity politics psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can we promote inclusive ideals without alienating groups? - What personal actions can counteract harmful societal messages? A Different Perspective The quote may overgeneralize Western culture and ignore positive movements. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Damaging Beliefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damaging-beliefs-3007354/) [Defend Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defend-myself/) [Disability Transpired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disability-transpired-3007355/) [Good enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) [Suffer Disability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffer-disability-3007357/) [Suffering Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering-doesn-739246/) [Values Cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values-cause-3007356/) ## Related quotes > [Are businesses really benefitting if their communities are suffering? It doesn't seem like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punit-renjen/are-businesses-really-benefitting-if-their-communities-are-suffering/) [Punit Renjen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punit-renjen/) > [The first noble truth of the Buddha is that when we feel suffering, it doesn’t mean that something is wrong. What a relief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-first-noble-truth-of-the-buddha-is-that-when-we-feel-suffering-it/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [You do brutal workouts to get used to suffering so suffering doesn't become a defining deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-jackson/you-do-brutal-workouts-to-get-used-to-suffering-so-suffering-doesn-t/) [Greg Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-jackson/) > [“God does not waste an ounce of our pain or a drop of our tears; suffering doesn't come our way for no reason, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-peretti/god-does-not-waste-an-ounce-of-our-pain-or-a-drop-of-our-tears/) [Frank Peretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-peretti/) > [When something happens to you, suffering doesn't begin. Suffering begins at the instant you label a bad thing - as something that is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/when-something-happens-to-you-suffering-doesn-t-begin-suffering/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [Suffering doesn't improve human beings, does it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herta-m-ller/suffering-doesn-t-improve-human-beings-does-it/) [Herta Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herta-m-ller/) > [Despite the obvious emphasis of Scripture (in regard to suffering), we are bombarded by suggestions that the 'successful' Christian living takes place in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/despite-the-obvious-emphasis-of-scripture-in-regard-to-suffering-we/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [“understanding the ultimate source of your suffering doesn’t, by itself, help very much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wright/understanding-the-ultimate-source-of-your-suffering-doesn-t-by-itself/) [Robert Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wright/) > [“For many people, life is full of pain, suffering. It doesn't consist of clear blue skies or fresh green grass that's always greener on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiana-dalichov/for-many-people-life-is-full-of-pain-suffering-it-doesn-t-consist-of/) [Tiana Dalichov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiana-dalichov/) > [Of all the ways we have found to hurt ourselves, the worse has been through love. We are always suffering because of someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/of-all-the-ways-we-have-found-to-hurt-ourselves-the-worse-has-been/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“But their suffering doesn’t mitigate yours.” “Suffering doesn’t make me special. Sooner or later, life knocks everyone down. It’s how you deal with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-wilde/but-their-suffering-doesn-t-mitigate-yours-suffering-doesn-t-make-me/) [Lori Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-wilde/) > [Rejecting joy to stand in solidarity with the suffering doesn't rescue the suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/rejecting-joy-to-stand-in-solidarity-with-the-suffering-doesn-t/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“If your problems, stresses and life challenges don’t push you and don’t motivate you to do something about your life. If they don’t make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-your-problems-stresses-and-life-challenges-don-t-push-you-and-don/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“How does it save the world to reject unabashed joy when it is joy that saves us? Rejecting joy to stand in solidarity with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/how-does-it-save-the-world-to-reject-unabashed-joy-when-it-is-joy/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Just because we don't see a reason for evil and suffering doesn't mean there's not a reason for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/just-because-we-don-t-see-a-reason-for-evil-and-suffering-doesn-t/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More by Francesca Martínez > [“Their sole purpose is to make you feel bad about your life because you’re not rich and famous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-mart-nez/their-sole-purpose-is-to-make-you-feel-bad-about-your-life-because/) [Francesca Martínez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) > [“Eventually, I managed to peel it off, bit by bit, scratching at each piece until it was finally gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-mart-nez/eventually-i-managed-to-peel-it-off-bit-by-bit-scratching-at-each/) [Francesca Martínez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) > [“Reading celebrity magazines is like eating poo. Don’t do it: it’s bad for your health.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-mart-nez/reading-celebrity-magazines-is-like-eating-poo-don-t-do-it-it-s-bad/) [Francesca Martínez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) > [“Our culture has the power to convince skinny people they are fat, young people they are old, old people they can be young, beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-mart-nez/our-culture-has-the-power-to-convince-skinny-people-they-are-fat/) [Francesca Martínez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) > [“It’s a shame that much of the media have emphatically refused, for a very long time, to represent diversity, because they play a crucial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-mart-nez/it-s-a-shame-that-much-of-the-media-have-emphatically-refused-for-a/) [Francesca Martínez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) > [Accepting yourself as you are is an act of civil disobedience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-mart-nez/accepting-yourself-as-you-are-is-an-act-of-civil-disobedience/) [Francesca Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) > [“It’s inescapable – we live in a world where what’s seen as successful, fashionable or beautiful is heavily shaped by a power base with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-mart-nez/it-s-inescapable-we-live-in-a-world-where-what-s-seen-as-successful/) [Francesca Martínez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) > [“I’m not quite sure what a normal life is. Surely everyone’s life is normal to them?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-mart-nez/i-m-not-quite-sure-what-a-normal-life-is-surely-everyone-s-life-is/) [Francesca Martínez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) > [“I can’t help noticing that the few people I’ve met in my life who haven’t ‘suffered’ much have also been monumentally boring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-mart-nez/i-can-t-help-noticing-that-the-few-people-i-ve-met-in-my-life-who/) [Francesca Martínez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) > [Tune into your own capacities and always make time for sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-mart-nez/tune-into-your-own-capacities-and-always-make-time-for-sleep/) [Francesca Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) > [“And, in order to make us buy things we don’t need, advertisers have to make us believe that we need them. Desperately. So they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-mart-nez/and-in-order-to-make-us-buy-things-we-don-t-need-advertisers-have-to/) [Francesca Martínez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) > [“Happiness is always one more purchase away, one more promotion away, one more investment away, but numerous studies show that once a person’s basic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-mart-nez/happiness-is-always-one-more-purchase-away-one-more-promotion-away/) [Francesca Martínez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) > [“Now, I think of fashion as the ultimate mode of conformity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-mart-nez/now-i-think-of-fashion-as-the-ultimate-mode-of-conformity/) [Francesca Martínez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) > [We won the lottery in life and life is such a beautiful, precious gift, and we have to savor it, because as far as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-mart-nez/we-won-the-lottery-in-life-and-life-is-such-a-beautiful-precious-gift/) [Francesca Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) > [“It’s pretty much impossible to expect impressionable teenagers to react positively to difference when mainstream values obsessively promote a religious adherence to prejudicial norms.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-mart-nez/it-s-pretty-much-impossible-to-expect-impressionable-teenagers-to/) [Francesca Martínez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) [Explore all 22 Francesca Martínez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-mart-nez/) ## More Good enough quotes > [“Ain’t got no shit to fuckin worry on, dig. Ladybird good enough to handle any all comes she fuckin way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacia-kane/ain-t-got-no-shit-to-fuckin-worry-on-dig-ladybird-good-enough-to/) [Stacia Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacia-kane/) > [Don't listen to people who say trying your best is good enough, It's not. First is first! Second is last!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-ryan-of-hereford/don-t-listen-to-people-who-say-trying-your-best-is-good-enough-it-s/) [Sir Ryan Of Hereford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-ryan-of-hereford/) > [With my songs, the question is always, 'Can you pull it off live, alone on just an acoustic guitar?' That's the litmus test. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-colvin/with-my-songs-the-question-is-always-can-you-pull-it-off-live-alone/) [Shawn Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-colvin/) > [Being of Indian heritage is a challenge - and it's a blessing as well sometimes - because being good isn't good enough. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-dhawan/being-of-indian-heritage-is-a-challenge-and-it-s-a-blessing-as-well/) [Sacha Dhawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-dhawan/) > [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [~You told me that you have feelings me then next thing you know you ignore me then I see you flirting with other girls……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-eyes/you-told-me-that-you-have-feelings-me-then-next-thing-you-know-you/) [Angel\_eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-eyes/) > [“Something had been confirmed: I was worth giving a shit about; I was getting to be a successful sick person. Sick is when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-hornbacher/something-had-been-confirmed-i-was-worth-giving-a-shit-about-i-was/) [Marya Hornbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-hornbacher/) > [The first thing you put on in the morning is your lingerie, and you have to look at yourself and tell yourself that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain-dove/the-first-thing-you-put-on-in-the-morning-is-your-lingerie-and-you/) [Rain Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain-dove/) > [I may never be good enough for everybody. But I'll always be the best for someone who's contented to have me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-may-never-be-good-enough-for-everybody-but-i-ll-always-be-the-best/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The fear of not being good enough, the fear of disappointing other people and the fear of failure can really hurt one's personality and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/the-fear-of-not-being-good-enough-the-fear-of-disappointing-other/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [“Why do people kill themselves? I think they do it when they can no longer find a reason to keep going. When nothing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beth-miller/why-do-people-kill-themselves-i-think-they-do-it-when-they-can-no/) [Mary Beth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beth-miller/) > [I wasn't good enough. I had a little talent but not enough. There is nothing more discouraging than having just a little talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosamunde-pilcher/i-wasn-t-good-enough-i-had-a-little-talent-but-not-enough-there-is/) [Rosamunde Pilcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosamunde-pilcher/) > [You can look at everything from pre-Heisman to post-Heisman, and I think that's why it ranks up at the top, because before then, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sanders/you-can-look-at-everything-from-pre-heisman-to-post-heisman-and-i/) [Barry Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sanders/) > [I was so unsuccessful for so long. I was used to the word no. I was used to you're not good enough or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamar-braxton/i-was-so-unsuccessful-for-so-long-i-was-used-to-the-word-no-i-was/) [Tamar Braxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamar-braxton/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) [Browse all 2,935 Good enough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“My disability, it transpired, was the least of my problems. The real question became: how do I defend myself against the constant onslaught of pressures to conform to unrealistic ideals? It’s odd that society has chosen to promote such destructive ideas. Who decided that? And when? I must have missed that meeting. Surely it’s not just an accident that the Western world has adopted ‘YOU’RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH’ as one of its primary slogans. And, why has it been so furiously promoted when it creates such damaging beliefs in people? The society I was born into proclaims that people shouldn’t have to ‘suffer’ from disability but is more than happy to embrace values that cause widespread suffering. It doesn’t make sense. 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