---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Laws and traditions that hold back women…"
description: "\"Laws and traditions that hold back women, hold back entire societies.\" — Hillary Clinton"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc8/hillary-clinton-51_culture_laws-and-traditions-that-hold-back-women_3169081.jpg"
---

#  Laws and traditions that hold back women, hold back entire…

![“Laws and traditions that hold back women, hold back entire societies.” quote by Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc8/hillary-clinton-51_culture_laws-and-traditions-that-hold-back-women_3169081.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc8/hillary-clinton-51_culture_laws-and-traditions-that-hold-back-women_3169081.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc8/hillary-clinton-51_culture_laws-and-traditions-that-hold-back-women_3169081.jpg)

> “Laws and traditions that hold back women, hold back entire societies.”

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

## About This Quote

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

Societal progress stalls when gender equality is suppressed, limiting collective advancement.

**In simple terms:** Holding back women hurts everyone.

Key Takeaway

Promote gender equality for societal benefit.

Themes

equality justice development

Mood

determined hopeful

Type

political inspirational

When to use this quote

- Workplace policies
- education access
- political representation
- legal reforms

Key Concepts

Feminism social policy human rights

Questions to Reflect On

- How does gender inequality affect economic growth?
- What policies best advance women's rights?

A Different Perspective

Change can be slow and face entrenched opposition.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Entire Societies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entire-societies-2289182/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Hold Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hold-women-1746159/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Laws Traditions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws-traditions-2615541/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition/) [Traditions Hold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traditions-hold-5600191/) [Women Hold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-hold-1482310/)

## Related quotes

> [The things that hold women back, hold them back from sitting at the boardroom table and they hold women back from speaking at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/the-things-that-hold-women-back-hold-them-back-from-sitting-at-the/)

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

> [“quite likely that the fate of entire societies may be sealed by a series of avoidable mistakes committed by their leaders.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/quite-likely-that-the-fate-of-entire-societies-may-be-sealed-by-a/)

[Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/)

> [The bird has an honor that man does not have. Man lives in the traps of his abdicated laws and traditions; but the birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/the-bird-has-an-honor-that-man-does-not-have-man-lives-in-the-traps/)

[Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/)

> [“Singers say ‘tradition’ when they don’t want to explain.” “It’s more than that.” Wik shook his head, struggling for patience. “It’s about our history.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-wilde/singers-say-tradition-when-they-don-t-want-to-explain-it-s-more-than/)

[Fran Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-wilde/)

> [“The thing about traditions is that they hold up the shape of your memory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-dellaira/the-thing-about-traditions-is-that-they-hold-up-the-shape-of-your/)

[Ava Dellaira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-dellaira/)

> [Irony: While we increasingly hold people more responsible if they drink and drive, we hold women less responsible if they drink and have sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/irony-while-we-increasingly-hold-people-more-responsible-if-they/)

[Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/)

> [We are free to say that in respect to political rights, we hold women to be justly entitled to all we claim for men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/we-are-free-to-say-that-in-respect-to-political-rights-we-hold-women/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [Holy scripture does not hold women back. It's the people that decide to interpret it in such a way for their own, sometimes political,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-rania-of-jordan/holy-scripture-does-not-hold-women-back-it-s-the-people-that-decide/)

[Queen Rania of Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-rania-of-jordan/)

> [Women hold themselves back because they don't think their perspective matters. I'm here to tell you that you're not just robbing yourself when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-palmieri/women-hold-themselves-back-because-they-don-t-think-their-perspective/)

[Jennifer Palmieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-palmieri/)

> [Something that people talk about a lot in the Black community is how Black women hold it up, basically, and Black women don't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-dacosta/something-that-people-talk-about-a-lot-in-the-black-community-is-how/)

[Nia DaCosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-dacosta/)

> [I don't want women to hold themselves back. I think there are too many women who are self-conscious about the way they look -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-graham/i-don-t-want-women-to-hold-themselves-back-i-think-there-are-too-many/)

[Ashley Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-graham/)

> [“Some women hold up dresses that are so ugly and they always say the same thing: ‘This looks much better on.’ On what? On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-king/some-women-hold-up-dresses-that-are-so-ugly-and-they-always-say-the/)

[Bart King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-king/)

> [The modern economy is becoming a place where women hold the cards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanna-rosin/the-modern-economy-is-becoming-a-place-where-women-hold-the-cards/)

[Hanna Rosin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanna-rosin/)

> [Women hold all the power. They should use it like a whip, not offer it up like a sacrifice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarryn-fisher/women-hold-all-the-power-they-should-use-it-like-a-whip-not-offer-it/)

[Tarryn Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarryn-fisher/)

> [Women hold up half the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/women-hold-up-half-the-sky/)

[Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/)

## More by Hillary Clinton

> [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I'm going to do everything I can to get myself elected, but that's not enough. I'm going to try to help move the Senate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-m-going-to-do-everything-i-can-to-get-myself-elected-but-that-s-not/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I think we have to take a look at corporate law. We have to take a look at the incentives that we can perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-we-have-to-take-a-look-at-corporate-law-we-have-to-take-a/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I am somewhat influenced by the years that I've spent trying to actually get things done, whether it was reforming education in Arkansas or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-somewhat-influenced-by-the-years-that-i-ve-spent-trying-to/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [We know in New York we have several million at any one time who are in New York illegally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-know-in-new-york-we-have-several-million-at-any-one-time-who-are/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I have always believed that women are not victims, we are agents of change, we are drivers of progress, we are makers of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-always-believed-that-women-are-not-victims-we-are-agents-of/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I have clearly said we faced terrorist enemies who use Islam to justify slaughtering innocent people and we have to stop them and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-clearly-said-we-faced-terrorist-enemies-who-use-islam-to/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [If I had lost the popular vote but won the electoral college and in my first day as president the intelligence community came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/if-i-had-lost-the-popular-vote-but-won-the-electoral-college-and-in/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [We now have power under the Dodd-Frank legislation to break up banks. And I've said I will use that power if they pose a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-now-have-power-under-the-dodd-frank-legislation-to-break-up-banks/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I am not going to make promises I can't keep. I am not going to talk about big ideas like single-payer and then not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-not-going-to-make-promises-i-can-t-keep-i-am-not-going-to-talk/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [It's important to recognize that expanding the circle of opportunity and increasing the democratic potential of our own society, as well as those across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-s-important-to-recognize-that-expanding-the-circle-of-opportunity/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [We're living in a technological world. You cannot tell me we can't do a better job getting that information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-re-living-in-a-technological-world-you-cannot-tell-me-we-can-t-do/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I do not think homosexuality is immoral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-do-not-think-homosexuality-is-immoral/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [We need to have more second chance programs. I'm glad that we're ending private prisons in the federal system; I want to see them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-need-to-have-more-second-chance-programs-i-m-glad-that-we-re/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [A nuclear-weapons armed Iran is not in anyone's human-rights interests. That is a direct threat to the lives and the livelihoods and the stability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/a-nuclear-weapons-armed-iran-is-not-in-anyone-s-human-rights/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

[Explore all 1,911 Hillary Clinton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

## More Culture quotes

> [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/)

[Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/)

> [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/)

[Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/)

> [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/)

[Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/)

> [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/)

[Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/)

> [I was born and raised in Orlando, where the economy and culture has been powerfully shaped by tourism, and so I've long been interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/i-was-born-and-raised-in-orlando-where-the-economy-and-culture-has/)

[Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/)

> [Our times demand the declaration of the world's resources as the common heritage of all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/our-times-demand-the-declaration-of-the-world-s-resources-as-the/)

[Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/)

> [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/)

[Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/)

> [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/)

[Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/)

> [I think it's useful to experience other types of dance and other cultures, and the life of a classical dancer these days is certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/i-think-it-s-useful-to-experience-other-types-of-dance-and-other/)

[Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/)

> [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [It is not my intention to explain Turkey, its culture and its problems. My literature has a universal concern: I want to bring people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/it-is-not-my-intention-to-explain-turkey-its-culture-and-its-problems/)

[Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/)

> [I don't think the distinction between high and low culture exists anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-scott/i-don-t-think-the-distinction-between-high-and-low-culture-exists/)

[Jeremy Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-scott/)

> [You get below the Mason-Dixon line and you have some of the best music, culture, the two races, the literature, and it's so rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-duvall/you-get-below-the-mason-dixon-line-and-you-have-some-of-the-best/)

[Robert Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-duvall/)

> [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/)

[David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/)

> [“Being grounded in your lifelong culture and your personal perspective, you are comfortable with the way you see things and may believe it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/being-grounded-in-your-lifelong-culture-and-your-personal-perspective/)

[Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/)

[Browse all 15,940 Culture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Laws and traditions that hold back women, hold back entire societies.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Hillary Clinton"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/laws-and-traditions-that-hold-back-women-hold-back-entire-societies/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Culture"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/laws-and-traditions-that-hold-back-women-hold-back-entire-societies/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc8/hillary-clinton-51_culture_laws-and-traditions-that-hold-back-women_3169081.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc8/hillary-clinton-51_culture_laws-and-traditions-that-hold-back-women_3169081.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc8/hillary-clinton-51_culture_laws-and-traditions-that-hold-back-women_3169081.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Laws and traditions that hold back women, hold back entire societies.” — Hillary Clinton",
                "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": "Hillary Clinton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Laws and traditions that hold back...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/laws-and-traditions-that-hold-back-women-hold-back-entire-societies/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/laws-and-traditions-that-hold-back-women-hold-back-entire-societies/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```