--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I’m not saying that everyone needs to be…" description: "\"I’m not saying that everyone needs to be celibate, but you don’t need a romance to complete a story about a woman\" — Greta Gerwig" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72c/greta-gerwig-2602_inspirational_i-m-not-saying-that-everyone-needs-to-be_2058447.jpg" --- # I’m not saying that everyone needs to be celibate, but you… ![“I’m not saying that everyone needs to be celibate, but you don’t need a romance to complete a story about a woman” quote by Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72c/greta-gerwig-2602_inspirational_i-m-not-saying-that-everyone-needs-to-be_2058447.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72c/greta-gerwig-2602_inspirational_i-m-not-saying-that-everyone-needs-to-be_2058447.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72c/greta-gerwig-2602_inspirational_i-m-not-saying-that-everyone-needs-to-be_2058447.jpg) > “I’m not saying that everyone needs to be celibate, but you don’t need a romance to complete a story about a woman” [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She argues that a woman's story need not rely on romance, challenging narrative norms. **In simple terms:** Women’s stories can be complete without romance. Key Takeaway Write diverse female narratives. Themes gender storytelling independence Mood critical empowering Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - screenwriting - novel writing - media critique Key Concepts narrative agency cultural expectations female empowerment Questions to Reflect On - How can you portray women without romance? - What impact does this have on audience expectations? A Different Perspective Romance may still be central for many audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Celibate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celibate/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [Do we really need more romance attached to the act of blowing people away?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leo/do-we-really-need-more-romance-attached-to-the-act-of-blowing-people/) [John Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leo/) > [If I need romance, that's what Netflix is for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/if-i-need-romance-that-s-what-netflix-is-for/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [Fasting is as sensual as eating. Being celibate is as sensual as having sex. They're just different choices, different videos that you've selected to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/fasting-is-as-sensual-as-eating-being-celibate-is-as-sensual-as/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“The idea of celibate vampires is ridiculous. To me, vampires are sex. I don't get a vampire story about abstinence. I don't care about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/the-idea-of-celibate-vampires-is-ridiculous-to-me-vampires-are-sex-i/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [“Who better than a bunch of celibate male octogenarians to tell the world how to have sex? - Robert Langdon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/who-better-than-a-bunch-of-celibate-male-octogenarians-to-tell-the-2/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [A celibate clergy is an especially good idea, because it tends to suppress any hereditary propensity toward fanaticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/a-celibate-clergy-is-an-especially-good-idea-because-it-tends-to/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The man who never in his life Has washed the dishes with his wife Or polished up the silver plate - He still is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/the-man-who-never-in-his-life-has-washed-the-dishes-with-his-wife-or/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [I've never been with women, because I'm celibate, as ordered by God, as if I were in a monastery. For me, the church is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justo-gallego/i-ve-never-been-with-women-because-i-m-celibate-as-ordered-by-god-as/) [Justo Gallego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justo-gallego/) > [“Who better than a bunch of celibate male octogenarians to tell the world how to have sex?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/who-better-than-a-bunch-of-celibate-male-octogenarians-to-tell-the/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [I know that people can live celibate lives. I did it myself for many years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamza-yusuf/i-know-that-people-can-live-celibate-lives-i-did-it-myself-for-many/) [Hamza Yusuf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamza-yusuf/) > [“It is better to lock up your heart with a merciless padlock, than to fall in love with someone who doesn't know what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/it-is-better-to-lock-up-your-heart-with-a-merciless-padlock-than-to/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [I have never been a celibate. If people believe so, that is their foolishness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/i-have-never-been-a-celibate-if-people-believe-so-that-is-their/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“Do I really look so pathetic to all of you? Like I couldn't possibly meet someone on my own? Half the people in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/do-i-really-look-so-pathetic-to-all-of-you-like-i-couldn-t-possibly/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [I'm religiously celibate except in LA, NOLA, FLA, because there is certainly no God in any of those places. So unless you live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessicka/i-m-religiously-celibate-except-in-la-nola-fla-because-there-is/) Jessicka > [“The common mistake of the religious celibate has been to suppose that the highest spiritual life absolutely demands the renunciation of sexuality, as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/the-common-mistake-of-the-religious-celibate-has-been-to-suppose-that/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) ## More by Greta Gerwig > [I didn't know the city at all, but I was so happy to be in New York I cried. I was so excited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-didn-t-know-the-city-at-all-but-i-was-so-happy-to-be-in-new-york-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I think I've always wanted to direct, but I didn't go to film school. I was lucky enough to work in movies, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-think-i-ve-always-wanted-to-direct-but-i-didn-t-go-to-film-school-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [You only get one life, so you might as well feel all the feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/you-only-get-one-life-so-you-might-as-well-feel-all-the-feelings/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I always have a soft spot in my heart for New York designers and independent designers, people who are doing the fashion equivalent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-always-have-a-soft-spot-in-my-heart-for-new-york-designers-and/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I don't really decide what the core of the story is before I write. I write to figure out what the story is. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-don-t-really-decide-what-the-core-of-the-story-is-before-i-write-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I don't do well when I don't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-don-t-do-well-when-i-don-t-work/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Sacramento is where I grew up, so I felt like it had not been given its proper due in cinema.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/sacramento-is-where-i-grew-up-so-i-felt-like-it-had-not-been-given/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I'm interested in characters that have just a touch of madness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-m-interested-in-characters-that-have-just-a-touch-of-madness/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Something people say about acting is that acting is listening. But I think that writing is listening, too. That you really have to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/something-people-say-about-acting-is-that-acting-is-listening-but-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [As a kid, I was a big reader. Books and theater were the way I understood the world, and also the way I organized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/as-a-kid-i-was-a-big-reader-books-and-theater-were-the-way-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Movies are now more often watched on the small screen anyway. But at least for me, what got lost in that is the difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/movies-are-now-more-often-watched-on-the-small-screen-anyway-but-at/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > ['A People's History of the United States' was actually a very big book for me. I read it in high school, and I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/a-people-s-history-of-the-united-states-was-actually-a-very-big-book/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I love New York, but it's a rough city. It's not dangerous now the way it was in the 70's or the 80's, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-love-new-york-but-it-s-a-rough-city-it-s-not-dangerous-now-the-way/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [There's an economy in sports that I always think is a useful metaphor for acting. You have an objective. You're trying to win, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/there-s-an-economy-in-sports-that-i-always-think-is-a-useful-metaphor/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [When I was a kid, I used to do my homework in the living room, where there was a picture window. I was hoping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/when-i-was-a-kid-i-used-to-do-my-homework-in-the-living-room-where/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) [Explore all 158 Greta Gerwig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) ## More Celibate quotes > [“The common mistake of the religious celibate has been to suppose that the highest spiritual life absolutely demands the renunciation of sexuality, as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/the-common-mistake-of-the-religious-celibate-has-been-to-suppose-that/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [I'm religiously celibate except in LA, NOLA, FLA, because there is certainly no God in any of those places. So unless you live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessicka/i-m-religiously-celibate-except-in-la-nola-fla-because-there-is/) Jessicka > [“Do I really look so pathetic to all of you? Like I couldn't possibly meet someone on my own? Half the people in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/do-i-really-look-so-pathetic-to-all-of-you-like-i-couldn-t-possibly/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [I have never been a celibate. If people believe so, that is their foolishness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/i-have-never-been-a-celibate-if-people-believe-so-that-is-their/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“It is better to lock up your heart with a merciless padlock, than to fall in love with someone who doesn't know what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/it-is-better-to-lock-up-your-heart-with-a-merciless-padlock-than-to/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [I know that people can live celibate lives. I did it myself for many years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamza-yusuf/i-know-that-people-can-live-celibate-lives-i-did-it-myself-for-many/) [Hamza Yusuf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamza-yusuf/) > [“Who better than a bunch of celibate male octogenarians to tell the world how to have sex?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/who-better-than-a-bunch-of-celibate-male-octogenarians-to-tell-the/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [I've never been with women, because I'm celibate, as ordered by God, as if I were in a monastery. For me, the church is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justo-gallego/i-ve-never-been-with-women-because-i-m-celibate-as-ordered-by-god-as/) [Justo Gallego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justo-gallego/) > [The man who never in his life Has washed the dishes with his wife Or polished up the silver plate - He still is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-morley/the-man-who-never-in-his-life-has-washed-the-dishes-with-his-wife-or/) [Christopher Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-morley/) > [A celibate clergy is an especially good idea, because it tends to suppress any hereditary propensity toward fanaticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/a-celibate-clergy-is-an-especially-good-idea-because-it-tends-to/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Who better than a bunch of celibate male octogenarians to tell the world how to have sex? - Robert Langdon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/who-better-than-a-bunch-of-celibate-male-octogenarians-to-tell-the-2/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“The idea of celibate vampires is ridiculous. To me, vampires are sex. I don't get a vampire story about abstinence. I don't care about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/the-idea-of-celibate-vampires-is-ridiculous-to-me-vampires-are-sex-i/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [Fasting is as sensual as eating. Being celibate is as sensual as having sex. They're just different choices, different videos that you've selected to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/fasting-is-as-sensual-as-eating-being-celibate-is-as-sensual-as/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Jesus Christ never preached there should be celibate priests. The only reason the church has this is because it's a mechanism of power and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gibney/jesus-christ-never-preached-there-should-be-celibate-priests-the-only/) [Alex Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gibney/) > [She say that she celibate, I penetrate her mentally So if its meant to be, then its meant to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/she-say-that-she-celibate-i-penetrate-her-mentally-so-if-its-meant-to/) [Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/) [Browse all 67 Celibate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celibate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I’m not saying that everyone needs to be celibate, but you don’t need a romance to complete a story about a woman", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Greta Gerwig" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-m-not-saying-that-everyone-needs-to-be-celibate-but-you-don-t-need/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Celibate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-m-not-saying-that-everyone-needs-to-be-celibate-but-you-don-t-need/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72c/greta-gerwig-2602_inspirational_i-m-not-saying-that-everyone-needs-to-be_2058447.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72c/greta-gerwig-2602_inspirational_i-m-not-saying-that-everyone-needs-to-be_2058447.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72c/greta-gerwig-2602_inspirational_i-m-not-saying-that-everyone-needs-to-be_2058447.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I’m not saying that everyone needs to be celibate, but you don’t need a romance to complete a story about a…” — Greta Gerwig", "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": "Greta Gerwig", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I’m not saying that everyone needs...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-m-not-saying-that-everyone-needs-to-be-celibate-but-you-don-t-need/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-m-not-saying-that-everyone-needs-to-be-celibate-but-you-don-t-need/#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 } } ] } ```