--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The number-one draft pick or the…" description: "\"“The number-one draft pick or the up-and-coming action hero will never choose me, because I’m dark skinned,” my friend said. On the other hand, she has..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b8/gabrielle-union-7459_action-hero_the-number-one-draft-pick-or-the-up-and_2356976.jpg" --- # The number-one draft pick or the up-and-coming action hero… ![“The number-one draft pick or the up-and-coming action hero will never choose me, because I’m dark skinned,” my friend said. On the other hand, she has sometimes felt fetishized by men who briefly date her solely for the visual. “After Lupita got big, I noticed it was trendy to like me,” she said…” quote by Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b8/gabrielle-union-7459_action-hero_the-number-one-draft-pick-or-the-up-and_2356976.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b8/gabrielle-union-7459_action-hero_the-number-one-draft-pick-or-the-up-and_2356976.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b8/gabrielle-union-7459_action-hero_the-number-one-draft-pick-or-the-up-and_2356976.jpg) > ““The number-one draft pick or the up-and-coming action hero will never choose me, because I’m dark skinned,” my friend said. On the other hand, she has sometimes felt fetishized by men who briefly date her solely for the visual. “After Lupita got big, I noticed it was trendy to like me,” she said. “On that note, white men love me. It’s almost like a validation for them. ‘Look at this black woman on my arm, natural hair, black skin, natural ass . . . See, I’m down!”” [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) ## 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 highlights how racial and gender stereotypes affect personal relationships and how fame changes perceived desirability. **In simple terms:** Fame changes how people view and treat black women. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge superficial validation. Themes race gender celebrity validation stereotypes Mood reflective critical empathetic Type personal social cultural When to use this quote - dating - career - social media - public perception Key Concepts Intersectionality media influence objectification Questions to Reflect On - How does fame alter personal interactions? - What can be done to reduce fetishization? A Different Perspective Validation based on race can be fleeting and harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action-hero/) [Black skin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-skin/) [Dark skin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-skin/) [Dark skinned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-skinned/) [Felt Fetishized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt-fetishized-5758584/) [Natural hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-hair/) [Skinned Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skinned-friend-4559054/) [Visual Lupita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/visual-lupita-5758583/) ## Related quotes > [Got a light skinned friend, look like Michael Jackson, Got a dark skinned friend, look like Michael Jackson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/got-a-light-skinned-friend-look-like-michael-jackson-got-a-dark/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [“Skin the colour of chestnuts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/skin-the-colour-of-chestnuts/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [“The year before, Boyle had jumped into the ring of the racial debate with Of the Nature of Whiteness and Blackness. He rejected both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibram-x-kendi/the-year-before-boyle-had-jumped-into-the-ring-of-the-racial-debate/) [Ibram X. Kendi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibram-x-kendi/) > [“First time I got the full sight of Shug Avery long black body with it black plum nipples, look like her mouth, I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/first-time-i-got-the-full-sight-of-shug-avery-long-black-body-with-it/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Kaladin screamed, reaching the end of the bridge. Finding a tiny surge of strength somewhere, he raised his spear and threw himself off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/kaladin-screamed-reaching-the-end-of-the-bridge-finding-a-tiny-surge/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“On a dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks often occur, there was once a crude little life-saving station. The building was just a hut, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-paterson/on-a-dangerous-seacoast-where-shipwrecks-often-occur-there-was-once-a/) [Ross Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-paterson/) > [Coke on her black skin made a stripe like a zebra, I call that jungle fever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/coke-on-her-black-skin-made-a-stripe-like-a-zebra-i-call-that-jungle/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [“Acknowledging that my skin was, in fact, Cocoa as it is, would have destroyed their narrative about who I really was. Therefore they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitta-xinindlu/acknowledging-that-my-skin-was-in-fact-cocoa-as-it-is-would-have/) [Mitta Xinindlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitta-xinindlu/) > [I'm fortunate I was able to have my parents show me that it's OK to be proud of my skin color. Loving my black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-deprince/i-m-fortunate-i-was-able-to-have-my-parents-show-me-that-it-s-ok-to/) [Michaela DePrince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-deprince/) > [My dear brother Barack Obama has a certain fear of free black men. As a young brother who grows up in a white context,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/my-dear-brother-barack-obama-has-a-certain-fear-of-free-black-men-as/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [“The irony is too rich not to point out. When arranging the different human races in tiers, from just below the angels to just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-kean/the-irony-is-too-rich-not-to-point-out-when-arranging-the-different/) [Sam Kean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-kean/) > [And this presence of the Spirit will enlighten not only yellow skin people or white skin people but even black skin people. I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brother-yun/and-this-presence-of-the-spirit-will-enlighten-not-only-yellow-skin/) [Brother Yun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brother-yun/) > [Labor in the white skin can never free itself as long as labor in the black skin is branded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/labor-in-the-white-skin-can-never-free-itself-as-long-as-labor-in-the/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [To me, a philosopher who says that the distinction between human and nonhuman depends on whether you have a white or a black skin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee-2/to-me-a-philosopher-who-says-that-the-distinction-between-human-and/) [J. M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee-2/) > [The Black skin is not a badge of shame, but rather a glorious symbol of national greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/the-black-skin-is-not-a-badge-of-shame-but-rather-a-glorious-symbol/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) ## More by Gabrielle Union > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [Before I got married, I dated the gamut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/before-i-got-married-i-dated-the-gamut/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [“Look, you can’t take your pussy with you,” I said. “Use it. Enjoy it. Fuck, fuck, fuck, until you run out of dicks. Travel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/look-you-can-t-take-your-pussy-with-you-i-said-use-it-enjoy-it-fuck/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [“What positive happened in your life because you tore this woman down?” she asked. “And, by the way, you showed exactly how much power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/what-positive-happened-in-your-life-because-you-tore-this-woman-down/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [We give a lot of others significance in our lives even when they don't deserve it. It doesn't matter if they're family or if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/we-give-a-lot-of-others-significance-in-our-lives-even-when-they-don/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [After Halle Berry does her films and Queen Latifah does her films, it's left to all the black, Latino and Asian actresses to fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/after-halle-berry-does-her-films-and-queen-latifah-does-her-films-it/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [“Don't save your best for when you think the material calls for it. Always bring your full potential to every take, and be on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/don-t-save-your-best-for-when-you-think-the-material-calls-for-it/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I played sports year around: basketball, soccer, softball and I ran track year around, from the time I was, like, six, seven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/i-played-sports-year-around-basketball-soccer-softball-and-i-ran/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I'm competing with everyone, but it's okay because they're not aware. I can't shut that impulse off. And I'm glad, because that impulse keeps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/i-m-competing-with-everyone-but-it-s-okay-because-they-re-not-aware-i/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [My mom is painfully sweet; she's from Nebraska.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/my-mom-is-painfully-sweet-she-s-from-nebraska/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [When you want a break from dogs, and you take them to the kennel to the stars, no one thinks you're a bad pet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/when-you-want-a-break-from-dogs-and-you-take-them-to-the-kennel-to/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I'm the kind of person whose clothes are all hung up and color-coordinated, to the point where my whites don't touch my creams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/i-m-the-kind-of-person-whose-clothes-are-all-hung-up-and-color/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [“That’s the real story. Gabrielle Union’s Baby Hopes: “Everyone Needs to Get Out of My Pussy!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/that-s-the-real-story-gabrielle-union-s-baby-hopes-everyone-needs-to/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I don't function well in chaos, whether it be my sheets or the dishwasher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/i-don-t-function-well-in-chaos-whether-it-be-my-sheets-or-the/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [All minorities think they're immune, but we're absolutely part of the one in five that gets skin cancer! It's a myth, and myths are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/all-minorities-think-they-re-immune-but-we-re-absolutely-part-of-the/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) [Explore all 91 Gabrielle Union quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) ## More Action hero quotes > [No action hero is more closely associated with cars than James Bond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hammond/no-action-hero-is-more-closely-associated-with-cars-than-james-bond/) [Richard Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hammond/) > [I've heard people tell me there's never been a gay character like Agron on TV before, and some fans have even thanked me because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-feuerriegel/i-ve-heard-people-tell-me-there-s-never-been-a-gay-character-like/) [Dan Feuerriegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-feuerriegel/) > [I'm a real-life action hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-van-dam/i-m-a-real-life-action-hero/) [Rob Van Dam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-van-dam/) > [I never really thought of myself as being an action hero or a leading man or any of that. I'm a character actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/i-never-really-thought-of-myself-as-being-an-action-hero-or-a-leading/) [Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/) > [I love the idea of a movie hero in a thriller who is able to get ahead by just his brilliance, and not with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/i-love-the-idea-of-a-movie-hero-in-a-thriller-who-is-able-to-get/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [I'm not your traditional action hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-stanford/i-m-not-your-traditional-action-hero/) [Aaron Stanford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-stanford/) > [I'm trying to get my next job as a biracial action hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pooch-hall/i-m-trying-to-get-my-next-job-as-a-biracial-action-hero/) [Pooch Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pooch-hall/) > [Narendra Modi is a dashing, dynamic, futuristic, able, respectable, acceptable, dabbang, visionary, action hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shatrughan-sinha/narendra-modi-is-a-dashing-dynamic-futuristic-able-respectable/) [Shatrughan Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shatrughan-sinha/) > [It was never really my choice to be an action heroine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izabella-scorupco/it-was-never-really-my-choice-to-be-an-action-heroine/) [Izabella Scorupco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izabella-scorupco/) > [Growing up, I'd watch 'Rambo' or 'Commando,' and so many action heroes were these huge guys with six-pack abs. It almost became a novelty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-till/growing-up-i-d-watch-rambo-or-commando-and-so-many-action-heroes-were/) [Lucas Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-till/) > [I can play the leading man. I can play the action hero, maybe in just a different way. I look at it as, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verne-troyer/i-can-play-the-leading-man-i-can-play-the-action-hero-maybe-in-just-a/) [Verne Troyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verne-troyer/) > [When 'I' released, I gave a couple of interviews in which I expressed my interest to play an action heroine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-jackson/when-i-released-i-gave-a-couple-of-interviews-in-which-i-expressed-my/) [Amy Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-jackson/) > [I would definitely like to be a slightly aging action hero with a smart mouth and have a little bit of fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-payne/i-would-definitely-like-to-be-a-slightly-aging-action-hero-with-a/) [Dan Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-payne/) > [The ordinary man is involved in action, the hero acts. An immense difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-ordinary-man-is-involved-in-action-the-hero-acts-an-immense/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [It's a fun world to exist in, and I relish doing those movies as much as I do the smaller ones. They're always immense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-pegg/it-s-a-fun-world-to-exist-in-and-i-relish-doing-those-movies-as-much/) [Simon Pegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-pegg/) [Browse all 88 Action hero quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action-hero/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The number-one draft pick or the up-and-coming action hero will never choose me, because I’m dark skinned,” my friend said. 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