--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The world has changed from when I was a…" description: "\"The world has changed from when I was a young teen feeling ashamed for being gay. The issue of gay marriage is now a political issue. That would have b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/315/george-takei-4192_ashamed_the-world-has-changed-from-when-i-was-a_1206983.jpg" --- # The world has changed from when I was a young teen feeling… ![“The world has changed from when I was a young teen feeling ashamed for being gay. The issue of gay marriage is now a political issue. That would have been unthinkable when I was young.” quote by George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/315/george-takei-4192_ashamed_the-world-has-changed-from-when-i-was-a_1206983.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/315/george-takei-4192_ashamed_the-world-has-changed-from-when-i-was-a_1206983.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/315/george-takei-4192_ashamed_the-world-has-changed-from-when-i-was-a_1206983.jpg) > “The world has changed from when I was a young teen feeling ashamed for being gay. The issue of gay marriage is now a political issue. That would have been unthinkable when I was young.” [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societal attitudes toward LGBTQ+ people have shifted dramatically, making gay marriage a mainstream political issue rather than a taboo. **In simple terms:** Attitudes changed; gay marriage now political. Key Takeaway Recognize progress and support equality. Themes equality politics social change LGBTQ+ rights Mood hopeful reflective Type inspirational political When to use this quote - activism - voting - education - media representation Key Concepts civil rights public opinion policy shift Questions to Reflect On - How can allies further advance acceptance? - What barriers remain for full equality? A Different Perspective Some societies still resist LGBTQ+ rights; progress is uneven. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) [Being gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-gay/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Gay marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-marriage/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-issues/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not ashamed of being gay, never have been and never will be. For that I have no apologies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-kirk/i-m-not-ashamed-of-being-gay-never-have-been-and-never-will-be-for/) [Tommy Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-kirk/) > [The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity. It is also our greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-climate-crisis-is-not-a-political-issue-it-is-a-moral-and/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [I don't feel like I have a lot to offer in terms of an authoritative voice on a lot of political issue. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-don-t-feel-like-i-have-a-lot-to-offer-in-terms-of-an-authoritative/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [My fellow Americans, people all over the world, we need to solve the climate crisis, it's not a political issue, it's a moral issue.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/my-fellow-americans-people-all-over-the-world-we-need-to-solve-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Modern equalitarian societies whether democratic or authoritarian in their political forms, always base themselves on the claim that they are making life happier. Happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-warshow/modern-equalitarian-societies-whether-democratic-or-authoritarian-in/) [Robert Warshow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-warshow/) > [Always and everywhere, the only serious political issue is what the state should and should not do. All the rest distracts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/llewellyn-rockwell/always-and-everywhere-the-only-serious-political-issue-is-what-the/) [Llewellyn Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/llewellyn-rockwell/) > [ The polling data shows not an unbelievable level of concern \[on climate issue\] but a general awareness of this problem. And now I think… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/the-polling-data-shows-not-an-unbelievable-level-of-concern-on/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [We are not dealing with a scientific problem. We are dealing with a political issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-epstein/we-are-not-dealing-with-a-scientific-problem-we-are-dealing-with-a/) [Samuel Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-epstein/) > [The question of receiving the immigrant is an ethical issue that becomes a political issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-martinez/the-question-of-receiving-the-immigrant-is-an-ethical-issue-that/) Ruben Martinez > [The letter writers span the spectrum from left to right. Members say they don't want this to become a partisan political issue. In fact,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-gjelten/the-letter-writers-span-the-spectrum-from-left-to-right-members-say/) [Tom Gjelten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-gjelten/) > [I don't really consider this a political issue, I consider it to be a moral issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/i-don-t-really-consider-this-a-political-issue-i-consider-it-to-be-a/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [We will not allow to become a political issue in this country the question of Asianisation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/we-will-not-allow-to-become-a-political-issue-in-this-country-the/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [I'm not ashamed to be gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/i-m-not-ashamed-to-be-gay/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [It's kind of a shame that it's even an issue. Not being gay, I can't fully appreciate how complicated that is. In the article,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-wolf/it-s-kind-of-a-shame-that-it-s-even-an-issue-not-being-gay-i-can-t/) [Scott Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-wolf/) > [“Because they’re wrong. People who judge me are wrong. There’s nothing wrong with me. There’s nothing wrong with being gay, or how I dress,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-haken/because-they-re-wrong-people-who-judge-me-are-wrong-there-s-nothing/) [Nicola Haken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-haken/) ## More by George Takei > [“Sharing is an act of trust, for ridicule is an ever-present risk on the Internet today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/sharing-is-an-act-of-trust-for-ridicule-is-an-ever-present-risk-on/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“If leadership requires a fired-up sense of purpose and imagination, it also demands a profound connection to the society to be led. Like it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/if-leadership-requires-a-fired-up-sense-of-purpose-and-imagination-it/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“As with the douchebags of the world, calling an asshole an asshole sometimes is exactly what needs to happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/as-with-the-douchebags-of-the-world-calling-an-asshole-an-asshole/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“But as Stephen Fry has so eloquently noted, all great atrocities and genocides first begin with marginalizing then dehumanizing a specific group of people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/but-as-stephen-fry-has-so-eloquently-noted-all-great-atrocities-and/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [A man who layeth with another man must be stoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/a-man-who-layeth-with-another-man-must-be-stoned/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [Well, the whole history of Star Trek is the market demand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/well-the-whole-history-of-star-trek-is-the-market-demand/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [Today we have the economic collapse that the whole planet is suffering, but there is hope, and that's what's going to keep us moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/today-we-have-the-economic-collapse-that-the-whole-planet-is/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [You know, I grew up in two American internment camps, and at that time I was very young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/you-know-i-grew-up-in-two-american-internment-camps-and-at-that-time/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“I began to wonder, what accounts for our collective affinity for the apocalypse? What is it about “the end” that makes it always seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/i-began-to-wonder-what-accounts-for-our-collective-affinity-for-the/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“If Grumpy Cat could bring herself to actually support something, it should be a no-brainer for mere humans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/if-grumpy-cat-could-bring-herself-to-actually-support-something-it/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“And anyway, as they will say in the distant future, “Replication is the sincerest form of flattery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/and-anyway-as-they-will-say-in-the-distant-future-replication-is-the/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“I call this phenomenon “hipsterization”—when those who fancy themselves on the cutting edge dismiss the very items they had touted as cool until they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/i-call-this-phenomenon-hipsterization-when-those-who-fancy-themselves/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“Cultural icons help people define who they are today because they shaped who they were as children.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/cultural-icons-help-people-define-who-they-are-today-because-they/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [Do your duty as an American, and as a citizen of the galaxy... Vote!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/do-your-duty-as-an-american-and-as-a-citizen-of-the-galaxy-vote/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [“I’ve recently suggested that Betty and I should do a TV series about two seniors living together in an unlikely pairing of a widow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/i-ve-recently-suggested-that-betty-and-i-should-do-a-tv-series-about/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) [Explore all 115 George Takei quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) ## More Ashamed quotes > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I know what you're thinking... and you oughtta be ashamed of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-preston/i-know-what-you-re-thinking-and-you-oughtta-be-ashamed-of-yourself/) Robert Preston > [You never meet the writer when you're making a TV movie in America - they're too ashamed to show up and see how their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-don-baker/you-never-meet-the-writer-when-you-re-making-a-tv-movie-in-america/) [Joe Don Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-don-baker/) > [I'm not ashamed of the things I believe and why I believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/i-m-not-ashamed-of-the-things-i-believe-and-why-i-believe-them/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“with her own life. And I was ashamed.” Humiliated. Broken. Miserable. If Wilcher had stood by Jaymee, if her father hadn’t berated her, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-green/with-her-own-life-and-i-was-ashamed-humiliated-broken-miserable-if/) Stacy Green > [You should avoid hedging, at least that's what I think. You should be ashamed to die until you've made some contribution to mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-johns/you-should-avoid-hedging-at-least-that-s-what-i-think-you-should-be/) Vernon Johns > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [“When all are undressed, one is somehow not ashamed, but when one's the only one undressed and everybody is looking, it's degrading,' he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/when-all-are-undressed-one-is-somehow-not-ashamed-but-when-one-s-the/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [There are a great many colored people who are ashamed of the cake-walk, but I think they ought to be proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/there-are-a-great-many-colored-people-who-are-ashamed-of-the-cake/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [I love him who is ashamed when the dice fall in his favour, and who then asketh: "Am I a dishonest player?" - for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-love-him-who-is-ashamed-when-the-dice-fall-in-his-favour-and-who/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/whoever-is-ashamed-of-me-and-my-words-the-son-of-man-will-be-ashamed/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [You were never created to live depressed, defeated, guilty, condemned, ashamed or unworthy. You were created to be victorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-were-never-created-to-live-depressed-defeated-guilty-condemned/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-never-wonder-to-see-men-wicked-but-i-often-wonder-to-see-them-not/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“To survive during the Khmer Rouge, you had to steal, cheat, lie, point fingers at others, even kill. And now you are ashamed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-brinkley/to-survive-during-the-khmer-rouge-you-had-to-steal-cheat-lie-point/) [Joel Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-brinkley/) [Browse all 1,607 Ashamed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The world has changed from when I was a young teen feeling ashamed for being gay. The issue of gay marriage is now a political issue. That would have been unthinkable when I was young.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Takei" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/the-world-has-changed-from-when-i-was-a-young-teen-feeling-ashamed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ashamed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/the-world-has-changed-from-when-i-was-a-young-teen-feeling-ashamed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/315/george-takei-4192_ashamed_the-world-has-changed-from-when-i-was-a_1206983.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/315/george-takei-4192_ashamed_the-world-has-changed-from-when-i-was-a_1206983.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/315/george-takei-4192_ashamed_the-world-has-changed-from-when-i-was-a_1206983.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The world has changed from when I was a young teen feeling ashamed for being gay. The issue of gay marriage…” — George Takei", "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 Takei", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The world has changed from when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/the-world-has-changed-from-when-i-was-a-young-teen-feeling-ashamed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/the-world-has-changed-from-when-i-was-a-young-teen-feeling-ashamed/#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 } } ] } ```