---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: men never would share power with women…"
description: "\"men never would share power with women willingly. If we wanted it, we would have to take it.\" — Helen Gahagan Douglas"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/helen-gahagan-douglas-23620_feminism_men-never-would-share-power-with-women-w_498925.png"
---

#  men never would share power with women willingly. If we…

![“men never would share power with women willingly. If we wanted it, we would have to take it.” quote by Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/helen-gahagan-douglas-23620_feminism_men-never-would-share-power-with-women-w_498925.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/helen-gahagan-douglas-23620_feminism_men-never-would-share-power-with-women-w_498925.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/helen-gahagan-douglas-23620_feminism_men-never-would-share-power-with-women-w_498925.png)

> “men never would share power with women willingly. If we wanted it, we would have to take it.”

[Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

## About This Quote

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

Power is often withheld from women unless they assert it forcefully.

**In simple terms:** Women must claim power actively.

Key Takeaway

Advocate for equitable power sharing.

Themes

gender politics power

Mood

determined critical

Type

advocacy political

When to use this quote

- workplace
- government
- activism
- leadership

Key Concepts

feminism social dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- What strategies enable collaborative power?
- How can institutions encourage voluntary sharing?

A Different Perspective

Assuming force is the only path can reinforce conflict.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/)

## Related quotes

> [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/)

[Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/)

> [The manager cannot share his power with division superintendent or foreman or workman, but he can give them opportunities for developing their power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-parker-follett/the-manager-cannot-share-his-power-with-division-superintendent-or/)

[Mary Parker Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-parker-follett/)

> [“It is a painful truth that one of the obstacles to more women gaining power has sometimes been women already in power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/it-is-a-painful-truth-that-one-of-the-obstacles-to-more-women-gaining/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [“But here is a sad truth: Our world is full of men and women who do not like powerful women. We have been so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/but-here-is-a-sad-truth-our-world-is-full-of-men-and-women-who-do-not/)

[Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/)

> [We need more women in positions of power so that women's issues are thought of more, because a room full of men in government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anoushka-shankar/we-need-more-women-in-positions-of-power-so-that-women-s-issues-are/)

[Anoushka Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anoushka-shankar/)

> [Women have all the power because women have all the vaginas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-attell/women-have-all-the-power-because-women-have-all-the-vaginas/)

[Dave Attell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-attell/)

> [The power of women united, I am again reminded, is an invincible thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-strohmeyer/the-power-of-women-united-i-am-again-reminded-is-an-invincible-thing/)

[Sarah Strohmeyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-strohmeyer/)

> [When the status and power of women is greater so also is the nation’s general quality of life; when they are lower, so is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riane-eisler/when-the-status-and-power-of-women-is-greater-so-also-is-the-nation-s/)

[Riane Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riane-eisler/)

> [I've seen what power women have in unification, and I would love to create co-working spaces and networks for female entrepreneurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-bloom/i-ve-seen-what-power-women-have-in-unification-and-i-would-love-to/)

[Molly Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-bloom/)

> [I believe in the unlimited power of women in the context of science and engineering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-holmes/i-believe-in-the-unlimited-power-of-women-in-the-context-of-science/)

[Elizabeth Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-holmes/)

> [Female empowerment really is important to me. I'm a big nerd of the books from the 15th Century and 16th Century, when the men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-winter/female-empowerment-really-is-important-to-me-i-m-a-big-nerd-of-the/)

[Ariel Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-winter/)

> [We should try to bring to any power what we have as women. We will destroy it all if we try to imitate that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-dewhurst/we-should-try-to-bring-to-any-power-what-we-have-as-women-we-will/)

Colleen Dewhurst

> [First you get the sugar, then you get the power, then you get the women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-groening/first-you-get-the-sugar-then-you-get-the-power-then-you-get-the-women/)

[Matt Groening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-groening/)

> [Where would the power of women be, were it not for the vanity of men?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/where-would-the-power-of-women-be-were-it-not-for-the-vanity-of-men/)

[Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/)

> [I think there's a sense of power women don't get till we're older when we say, 'This is the line, and you're not stepping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-kennedy/i-think-there-s-a-sense-of-power-women-don-t-get-till-we-re-older/)

Claudia Kennedy

## More by Helen Gahagan Douglas

> [You can't prove you're an American by waving Old Glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/you-can-t-prove-you-re-an-american-by-waving-old-glory/)

[Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

> [Character isn't inherited. One builds it daily by how one thinks and acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/character-isn-t-inherited-one-builds-it-daily-by-how-one-thinks-and/)

[Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

> [The ... irrational fear of communism is being deliberately used in many quarters to blind us to our real problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/the-irrational-fear-of-communism-is-being-deliberately-used-in-many/)

[Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

> [We cannot legislate equality but we can legislate ... equal opportunity for all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/we-cannot-legislate-equality-but-we-can-legislate-equal-opportunity/)

[Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

> [The discrepancy between American ideals and American practice - between our aims and what we actually do - creates a moral dry rot which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/the-discrepancy-between-american-ideals-and-american-practice-between/)

[Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

> [The discrepancy between American ideals and American practice creates a dry rot which eats away at the foundations of our democratic faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/the-discrepancy-between-american-ideals-and-american-practice-creates/)

[Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

> [Such pip-squeaks as Nixon and McCarthy are trying to get us so frightened of Communism that we'll be afraid to turn out the lights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/such-pip-squeaks-as-nixon-and-mccarthy-are-trying-to-get-us-so/)

[Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

> [Character isn't inherited. One builds it daily by the way one thinks and acts, thought by thought, action by action. If one lets fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/character-isn-t-inherited-one-builds-it-daily-by-the-way-one-thinks/)

[Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

> [Character isn't inherited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/character-isn-t-inherited/)

[Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

> [Politicians aren't any more wicked than other citizens but the situation in which they are placed warps their judgment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/politicians-aren-t-any-more-wicked-than-other-citizens-but-the/)

[Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

> [You cannot barter security for freedom, or freedom for security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/you-cannot-barter-security-for-freedom-or-freedom-for-security/)

[Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

> [A vigorous democracy a democracy in which there are freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech would never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/a-vigorous-democracy-a-democracy-in-which-there-are-freedom-from-want/)

[Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

> [If one lets fear or hate or anger take possession of the mind, they become self-forged chains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/if-one-lets-fear-or-hate-or-anger-take-possession-of-the-mind-they/)

[Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

> [Nothing can be controlled by one country today; nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/nothing-can-be-controlled-by-one-country-today-nothing/)

[Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

> [To be free you must afford freedom to your neighbor, regardless of race, color, creed, or national origin, and that sometimes, for some, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/to-be-free-you-must-afford-freedom-to-your-neighbor-regardless-of/)

[Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

[Explore all 25 Helen Gahagan Douglas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/)

## 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": "men never would share power with women willingly. If we wanted it, we would have to take it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Helen Gahagan Douglas"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/men-never-would-share-power-with-women-willingly-if-we-wanted-it-we/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Feminism"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/men-never-would-share-power-with-women-willingly-if-we-wanted-it-we/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/helen-gahagan-douglas-23620_feminism_men-never-would-share-power-with-women-w_498925.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/helen-gahagan-douglas-23620_feminism_men-never-would-share-power-with-women-w_498925.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/helen-gahagan-douglas-23620_feminism_men-never-would-share-power-with-women-w_498925.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“men never would share power with women willingly. If we wanted it, we would have to take it.” — Helen Gahagan Douglas",
                "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 Gahagan Douglas",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "men never would share power with...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/men-never-would-share-power-with-women-willingly-if-we-wanted-it-we/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/men-never-would-share-power-with-women-willingly-if-we-wanted-it-we/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
