---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whereas your blackness, ethnicity…"
description: "\"Whereas your blackness, ethnicity, homosexuality is something that might be genetic, I can't touch that, and I have no right.\" — George Carlin"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/george-carlin-155_blackness_whereas-your-blackness-ethnicity-homosex_2078023.jpg"
---

#  Whereas your blackness, ethnicity, homosexuality is…

![“Whereas your blackness, ethnicity, homosexuality is something that might be genetic, I can't touch that, and I have no right.” quote by George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/george-carlin-155_blackness_whereas-your-blackness-ethnicity-homosex_2078023.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/george-carlin-155_blackness_whereas-your-blackness-ethnicity-homosex_2078023.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/george-carlin-155_blackness_whereas-your-blackness-ethnicity-homosex_2078023.jpg)

> “Whereas your blackness, ethnicity, homosexuality is something that might be genetic, I can't touch that, and I have no right.”

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

## About This Quote

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

He acknowledges that traits like race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation are innate and untouchable, emphasizing respect for personal identity.

**In simple terms:** Identity traits are innate and must be respected.

Key Takeaway

Respect others’ inherent identities.

Themes

respect identity ethics

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

ethical philosophical

When to use this quote

- workplace interactions
- public discourse
- personal relationships

Key Concepts

human rights social justice

Questions to Reflect On

- How do we balance respect for identity with addressing inequality?
- What responsibilities arise from recognizing inherent traits?

A Different Perspective

Respecting identity does not address systemic inequities.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Blackness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blackness/) [Ethnicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethnicity/) [Ethnicity Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethnicity-homosexuality-4044405/) [Genetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genetic/) [Genetic Touch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genetic-touch-4044406/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Homosexuality Genetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality-genetic-1823518/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/)

## Related quotes

> [Homosexuality is a genetic flaw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subramanian-swamy/homosexuality-is-a-genetic-flaw/)

[Subramanian Swamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subramanian-swamy/)

> [It's important to stress what I didn't find. I did not prove that homosexuality is genetic, or find a genetic cause for being gay.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-levay/it-s-important-to-stress-what-i-didn-t-find-i-did-not-prove-that/)

[Simon LeVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-levay/)

> [Superficially it's a problem if homosexuality is genetic - if the difference between people's sexual preferences is genetic - because at least a pure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/superficially-it-s-a-problem-if-homosexuality-is-genetic-if-the/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

> [“A Black Madonna: the blackness of death, but also the blackness of good soil, dark with decay, which gives rise to life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/a-black-madonna-the-blackness-of-death-but-also-the-blackness-of-good/)

[Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/)

> [There's so much material out there that's unnecessarily racist. It takes a shot at what is 'urban' or demonstrates blackness with some sassy, neck-jiving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-williams/there-s-so-much-material-out-there-that-s-unnecessarily-racist-it/)

[Jesse Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-williams/)

> [Life is fleeting. And if you're ever distressed, cast your eyes to the summer sky when when the stars are strung across the velvety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/life-is-fleeting-and-if-you-re-ever-distressed-cast-your-eyes-to-the/)

[Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/)

> [If you have money and you have fame, but you don't have any confidence in your blackness, then it's all for nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mooney/if-you-have-money-and-you-have-fame-but-you-don-t-have-any-confidence/)

[Paul Mooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mooney/)

> [I kept staring into the blackness of the woods, drawn into the darkness as I always had been. I suddenly realized how alone I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/i-kept-staring-into-the-blackness-of-the-woods-drawn-into-the/)

[Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/)

> [I'm just challenging white supremacy at its intellectual heart every day. It's a pedagogy that I deploy against some of the most vicious resistance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/i-m-just-challenging-white-supremacy-at-its-intellectual-heart-every/)

[Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/)

> [Despair was a heavy blackness that let no light in or out. It was a hell beyond expression. I thank God it always passed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/despair-was-a-heavy-blackness-that-let-no-light-in-or-out-it-was-a/)

[Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/)

> [One time he was asked if he believed in an afterlife. After a moment's hesitation he said no, that he thought there was only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/one-time-he-was-asked-if-he-believed-in-an-afterlife-after-a-moment-s/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [As a queer woman of colour I've been asked to be more urban, as if my brand of Blackness wasn't quite Black enough. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariana-debose/as-a-queer-woman-of-colour-i-ve-been-asked-to-be-more-urban-as-if-my/)

[Ariana DeBose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariana-debose/)

> [You know,” he said, “I wish you could see this cave.” “What’s it like?” He paused. “It’s...beautiful, really.” “Tell me.” And so Po described…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/you-know-he-said-i-wish-you-could-see-this-cave-what-s-it-like-he/)

[Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/)

> [“The worst fear of the race yes, the world suddenly transformed into a senseless nightmare, horrible dissolution of things. Nothing compares, even oblivion is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/the-worst-fear-of-the-race-yes-the-world-suddenly-transformed-into-a/)

[Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/)

> [Sure, I’m dramatic and sloppily semi-cynical and semi-sentimental. But, in leisure years I could grow and choose my way. Now I am living on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/sure-i-m-dramatic-and-sloppily-semi-cynical-and-semi-sentimental-but/)

[Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/)

## More by George Carlin

> [I never go anywhere or do anything that transports me outside the boundaries of my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-never-go-anywhere-or-do-anything-that-transports-me-outside-the/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/with-the-proper-training-i-could-ve-been-an-evil-genius/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [Comedy, although it is not one of the fine arts - it's a vulgar art, it's one of the people's arts, it's the spoken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/comedy-although-it-is-not-one-of-the-fine-arts-it-s-a-vulgar-art-it-s/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [“I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. ... These two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-m-completely-in-favor-of-the-separation-of-church-and-state-these/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [“TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY. Not true. Today is another day. We have no idea what tomorrow is going to be. It might turn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/tomorrow-is-another-day-not-true-today-is-another-day-we-have-no-idea/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [I was a loner as a child. I had an imaginary friend - I didn't bother with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-was-a-loner-as-a-child-i-had-an-imaginary-friend-i-didn-t-bother/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [Kilometers are shorter than miles. Save gas, take your next trip in kilometers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/kilometers-are-shorter-than-miles-save-gas-take-your-next-trip-in/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [“If you guys want to get a MOM tattoo and save a little money, just get two letters done. Get about a one-inch capital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/if-you-guys-want-to-get-a-mom-tattoo-and-save-a-little-money-just-get/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-ve-built-up-so-much-speed-that-you-hit-70-after-that-it-s-a-day/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [It ended suddenly for Brenda, more slowly for me. My runs began getting shorter and less pleasurable. I'd feel bad after only one day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/it-ended-suddenly-for-brenda-more-slowly-for-me-my-runs-began-getting/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [Is there another word for synonym?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/is-there-another-word-for-synonym/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [The whole idea of the pursuit of goods and possessions has completely corrupted the human experience, along with religion, which I think limits the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-whole-idea-of-the-pursuit-of-goods-and-possessions-has-completely/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [These days many politicians are demanding change. Just like homeless people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/these-days-many-politicians-are-demanding-change-just-like-homeless/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [You know the good part about all those executions in Texas? Fewer Texans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-know-the-good-part-about-all-those-executions-in-texas-fewer/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [What was the best thing before sliced bread?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/what-was-the-best-thing-before-sliced-bread/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

[Explore all 1,098 George Carlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

## More Black quotes

> [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/)

[Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/)

> [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/)

[Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/)

> [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

> [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/)

[Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/)

> [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/)

[Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/)

> [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/)

[Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/)

> [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/)

[Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/)

> [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/)

[Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/)

> [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/)

[Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/)

> [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/)

[Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/)

> [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/)

[R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/)

> [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/)

[John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/)

> [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/)

[Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/)

> [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/)

[Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/)

> [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/)

[Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/)

[Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Whereas your blackness, ethnicity, homosexuality is something that might be genetic, I can't touch that, and I have no right.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "George Carlin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/whereas-your-blackness-ethnicity-homosexuality-is-something-that/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Black"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/whereas-your-blackness-ethnicity-homosexuality-is-something-that/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/george-carlin-155_blackness_whereas-your-blackness-ethnicity-homosex_2078023.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/george-carlin-155_blackness_whereas-your-blackness-ethnicity-homosex_2078023.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/george-carlin-155_blackness_whereas-your-blackness-ethnicity-homosex_2078023.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Whereas your blackness, ethnicity, homosexuality is something that might be genetic, I can't touch that, and…” — George Carlin",
                "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": "George Carlin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Whereas your blackness, ethnicity, homosexuality is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/whereas-your-blackness-ethnicity-homosexuality-is-something-that/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/whereas-your-blackness-ethnicity-homosexuality-is-something-that/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
