---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [...] and unfortunately most women did…"
description: "\"“[...] and unfortunately most women did not seem to have the same urges. Or if they did, they wouldn't admit it. They probably didn't, anyway. But if t..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/helen-dewitt-19555_gender_and-unfortunately-most-women-did-not-see_1587001.jpg"
---

#  \[...\] and unfortunately most women did not seem to have…

![“&#91;...&#93; and unfortunately most women did not seem to have the same urges. Or if they did, they wouldn't admit it. They probably didn't, anyway. But if they did they wouldn't admit it.” quote by Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/helen-dewitt-19555_gender_and-unfortunately-most-women-did-not-see_1587001.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/helen-dewitt-19555_gender_and-unfortunately-most-women-did-not-see_1587001.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/helen-dewitt-19555_gender_and-unfortunately-most-women-did-not-see_1587001.jpg)

> ““\[...\] and unfortunately most women did not seem to have the same urges. Or if they did, they wouldn't admit it. They probably didn't, anyway. But if they did they wouldn't admit it.””

[Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

## About This Quote

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

Societal expectations often suppress women’s sexual desires, leading them to deny or hide them.

**In simple terms:** Women may hide or deny urges due to social pressure.

Key Takeaway

Challenge stereotypes about female sexuality.

Themes

gender society sexuality

Mood

critical thought‑provoking

Type

analytical feminist

When to use this quote

- relationship counseling
- gender studies
- media analysis

Key Concepts

repression social norms gender bias

Questions to Reflect On

- How do cultural norms shape sexual expression?
- What are the effects of denying desire?

A Different Perspective

Not all women experience this uniformly.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Gender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender/) [Gender stereotypes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender-stereotypes/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/)

## Related quotes

> [“Unfortunately, the only women who get to wander around London after dark are whores.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-a-flynn/unfortunately-the-only-women-who-get-to-wander-around-london-after/)

Kathleen A. Flynn

> [Unfortunately, too few women take the risk of running for political office or assuming positions of influence. As a result, our voices are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-k-ross/unfortunately-too-few-women-take-the-risk-of-running-for-political/)

[Deborah K. Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-k-ross/)

> [Unfortunately, some women want to remake their husbands after their own design.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/unfortunately-some-women-want-to-remake-their-husbands-after-their/)

[Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/)

> [If I were gay, why wouldn't I admit it? Plenty of people in the record industry are gay, and my mother wouldn't freak out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-cowell/if-i-were-gay-why-wouldn-t-i-admit-it-plenty-of-people-in-the-record/)

[Simon Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-cowell/)

> [If I was gay, why wouldn't I admit it? It wouldn't harm me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-cowell/if-i-was-gay-why-wouldn-t-i-admit-it-it-wouldn-t-harm-me/)

[Simon Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-cowell/)

> [Hoes were jealous, but wouldn't admit it. Talk shit, and deny to everyone that they did it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immortal-technique/hoes-were-jealous-but-wouldn-t-admit-it-talk-shit-and-deny-to/)

[Immortal Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immortal-technique/)

> [“Though she wouldn’t admit it, I think she also wanted another few minutes to rock Alexander.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/though-she-wouldn-t-admit-it-i-think-she-also-wanted-another-few/)

[Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/)

> [“What are you - Secret Service?' 'If I were, I wouldn't admit it.' 'And you're not admitting it, I notice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-goddard/what-are-you-secret-service-if-i-were-i-wouldn-t-admit-it-and-you-re/)

[Robert Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-goddard/)

> [“We got over feminism, too. At least women did, as soon as they were hired for those high-prestige jobs that only men used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke-2/we-got-over-feminism-too-at-least-women-did-as-soon-as-they-were/)

[P.J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke-2/)

> [In the old times, women did not get their lives written, though I don't doubt many of them were much better worth writing than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/in-the-old-times-women-did-not-get-their-lives-written-though-i-don-t/)

[Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/)

> [Hollywood can be hard on women, but it did not cause my problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-tierney/hollywood-can-be-hard-on-women-but-it-did-not-cause-my-problems/)

[Gene Tierney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-tierney/)

> [“I never trusted the women i was involved with to tell the truth,because the truth never changes,but as i knew so well,people did.I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-gayle/i-never-trusted-the-women-i-was-involved-with-to-tell-the-truth/)

[Mike Gayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-gayle/)

> [“Though gossip it was, the women did not talk out of malice, but rather, out of habit and nostalgia for their younger days when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/though-gossip-it-was-the-women-did-not-talk-out-of-malice-but-rather/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I would never have taken up painting if women did not have breasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-auguste-renoir/i-would-never-have-taken-up-painting-if-women-did-not-have-breasts/)

[Pierre-Auguste Renoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-auguste-renoir/)

> [“She was fifteen when it occurred to her for the first time that women did not run railroads and that people might object. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/she-was-fifteen-when-it-occurred-to-her-for-the-first-time-that-women/)

[Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/)

## More by Helen DeWitt

> [“When a human being develops an argument, when a human being attempts not only to think but to speak with precision, he or she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/when-a-human-being-develops-an-argument-when-a-human-being-attempts/)

[Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

> [There is a strange taboo in our society against ending something merely because it is not pleasant-- life, love, a conversation, you name it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/there-is-a-strange-taboo-in-our-society-against-ending-something/)

[Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

> [“I wish you wouldn't say the first thing that comes into your head, Ludo. There is an obvious difference between someone who works within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/i-wish-you-wouldn-t-say-the-first-thing-that-comes-into-your-head/)

[Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

> [“So Lucille pressed the button, and a panel slid open in the wall, and the transporter came through, and sure enough here was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/so-lucille-pressed-the-button-and-a-panel-slid-open-in-the-wall-and/)

[Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

> [“In her excitement at the idea of just walking out the door she had walked out the door without stopping to practice and without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/in-her-excitement-at-the-idea-of-just-walking-out-the-door-she-had/)

[Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

> [“Sometimes I rode the Circle Line reading a book on organic chemistry and sometimes I read Leave It to Psmith for the 20th or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/sometimes-i-rode-the-circle-line-reading-a-book-on-organic-chemistry/)

[Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

> [The master swordsman isn't interested in killing people. He only wants to perfect his art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/the-master-swordsman-isn-t-interested-in-killing-people-he-only-wants/)

[Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

> [“I thought suddenly Look. If Kambei had stopped recruiting when the first samurai didn’t work out a 205-minute masterpiece of modern cinema would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/i-thought-suddenly-look-if-kambei-had-stopped-recruiting-when-the/)

[Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

> [The typical review makes a Teletubby look like a sabre-toothed tiger. You can economize by reading online rather than squandering $4.95, yes, but all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/the-typical-review-makes-a-teletubby-look-like-a-sabre-toothed-tiger/)

[Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

> [Perhaps this is the root of all evil, that gardeners are not put in charge of our schools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/perhaps-this-is-the-root-of-all-evil-that-gardeners-are-not-put-in/)

[Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

> [“Yamamoto said he thought you had to be able to hear how something did not work as part of a bigger thing to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/yamamoto-said-he-thought-you-had-to-be-able-to-hear-how-something-did/)

[Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

> [“Something looked through my grandfather's eyes. It said Being an accountant, it's not the end of the world. Something looked at my Uncle Danny.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/something-looked-through-my-grandfather-s-eyes-it-said-being-an/)

[Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

> [There are people who think contraception is immoral because the object of copulation is procreation. In a similar way there are people who think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/there-are-people-who-think-contraception-is-immoral-because-the/)

[Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

> [“Indolence, interruption, business, and pleasure; all take their turns of retardation….Perhaps no extensive and multifarious performance, said Sib, was ever effected within the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/indolence-interruption-business-and-pleasure-all-take-their-turns-of/)

[Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

> [“If you were at school they would not let you read a book like this, they would keep you from reading it by involving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/if-you-were-at-school-they-would-not-let-you-read-a-book-like-this/)

[Helen DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

[Explore all 32 Helen DeWitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/)

## More Feminism quotes

> [“But benevolent patriarchy is still patriarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/but-benevolent-patriarchy-is-still-patriarchy/)

[Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/)

> [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/)

[Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/)

> [“This story is not at all an uncommon one in tech circles, including gaming. The popular notion is that women who get ahead must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/this-story-is-not-at-all-an-uncommon-one-in-tech-circles-including/)

[Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/)

> [Without meaning to sound anti-men, ghastly women are the closest you get to a male role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-burke/without-meaning-to-sound-anti-men-ghastly-women-are-the-closest-you/)

[Kathy Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-burke/)

> [If the women in the factories stopped work for twenty minutes, the Allies would lose the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joffre/if-the-women-in-the-factories-stopped-work-for-twenty-minutes-the/)

Joseph Joffre

> [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/)

[Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/)

> [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

> [“there was something of the women molded into the great, stalwart frame of Hollingsworth; nor was he ashamed of it; as men often are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-was-something-of-the-women-molded-into-the-great-stalwart-frame/)

[Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/)

> [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/)

[Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/)

> [“Bármilyen idiótának, aki azt kérdezi: „Feminista vagy? Akkor elégeted a melltartóidat, mi? HE? Melltartókat égetsz, te feminista?” – szép nyugodtan így kell válaszolni: „Ostoba.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/b-rmilyen-idi-t-nak-aki-azt-k-rdezi-feminista-vagy-akkor-el-geted-a/)

[Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/)

> [People are capable of great, great change during the span of one lifetime. And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/)

[Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/)

> [Susan B. Anthony must be turning in her grave if she knew that millions of women who have the right to vote are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/susan-b-anthony-must-be-turning-in-her-grave-if-she-knew-that/)

[Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/)

> [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [Women know things that men will never know. We keep the best secrets. We tell the best stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/women-know-things-that-men-will-never-know-we-keep-the-best-secrets/)

[Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/)

> [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/)

Yoram Wind

[Browse all 15,705 Feminism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“[...] and unfortunately most women did not seem to have the same urges. Or if they did, they wouldn't admit it. They probably didn't, anyway. But if they did they wouldn't admit it.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Helen DeWitt"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/and-unfortunately-most-women-did-not-seem-to-have-the-same-urges-or/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Feminism"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/and-unfortunately-most-women-did-not-seem-to-have-the-same-urges-or/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/helen-dewitt-19555_gender_and-unfortunately-most-women-did-not-see_1587001.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/helen-dewitt-19555_gender_and-unfortunately-most-women-did-not-see_1587001.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/helen-dewitt-19555_gender_and-unfortunately-most-women-did-not-see_1587001.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“[...] and unfortunately most women did not seem to have the same urges. Or if they did, they wouldn't admit…” — Helen DeWitt",
                "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": "Helen DeWitt",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dewitt/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“[...] and unfortunately most women did...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/and-unfortunately-most-women-did-not-seem-to-have-the-same-urges-or/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dewitt/and-unfortunately-most-women-did-not-seem-to-have-the-same-urges-or/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
