--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I remember Tom Stoppard saying to me when…" description: "\"I remember Tom Stoppard saying to me when I came out, 'I feel so sorry for you, because you'll never have children.' These days I would say, 'Well, why..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/ian-mckellen-1396_because_i-remember-tom-stoppard-saying-to-me-whe_3128116.jpg" --- # I remember Tom Stoppard saying to me when I came out, 'I… ![“I remember Tom Stoppard saying to me when I came out, 'I feel so sorry for you, because you'll never have children.' These days I would say, 'Well, why not, Tom?'” quote by Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/ian-mckellen-1396_because_i-remember-tom-stoppard-saying-to-me-whe_3128116.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/ian-mckellen-1396_because_i-remember-tom-stoppard-saying-to-me-whe_3128116.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/ian-mckellen-1396_because_i-remember-tom-stoppard-saying-to-me-whe_3128116.jpg) > “I remember Tom Stoppard saying to me when I came out, 'I feel so sorry for you, because you'll never have children.' These days I would say, 'Well, why not, Tom?'” [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A witty retort challenges a dismissive comment about childlessness, turning it into a question of possibility. **In simple terms:** Turning mockery into curiosity about having children. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about childlessness. Themes humor identity family Mood playful defiant Type conversational reflective When to use this quote - personal relationships - LGBTQ+ discussions - parenting choices Key Concepts existentialism social expectations Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when others dismiss your life choices? - What does “why not” reveal about personal agency? A Different Perspective May overlook deeper emotional pain behind the original comment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Why not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/why-not/) ## Related quotes > [I've always wanted to be in a play by Tom Stoppard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-harris/i-ve-always-wanted-to-be-in-a-play-by-tom-stoppard/) [Rosemary Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-harris/) > [“Tom Stoppard’s other work includes: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Jumpers, Travesties, Night and Day, After Magritte, The Real Thing, Enter A Free Man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/tom-stoppard-s-other-work-includes-rosencrantz-and-guildenstern-are/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [“IN 1967 YOUNG Tom Stoppard had his breakthrough hit, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a brilliant play about actors playing characters playing actors playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-andersen/in-1967-young-tom-stoppard-had-his-breakthrough-hit-rosencrantz-and/) [Kurt Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-andersen/) > [I'm a big fan of Tom Stoppard's work, and have been since I was in school where I studied him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adelaide-clemens/i-m-a-big-fan-of-tom-stoppard-s-work-and-have-been-since-i-was-in/) [Adelaide Clemens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adelaide-clemens/) > [In the life of any actor or actress, there is inevitably a time when they will be eligible to act in a Tom Stoppard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-stoppard/in-the-life-of-any-actor-or-actress-there-is-inevitably-a-time-when/) [Ed Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-stoppard/) > [More than any other contemporary British playwright, Tom Stoppard populates his plays -- from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead to The Invention of Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-gussow/more-than-any-other-contemporary-british-playwright-tom-stoppard/) Mel Gussow > [If you're doing something like 'Arcadia' by Tom Stoppard, which has been done millions and millions of times, and it's been played some unbelievably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bel-powley/if-you-re-doing-something-like-arcadia-by-tom-stoppard-which-has-been/) [Bel Powley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bel-powley/) > [I consider myself a Jewish writer, like all my heroes: Tom Stoppard, David Mamet, Philip Roth, Arthur Miller, Woody Allen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-marber/i-consider-myself-a-jewish-writer-like-all-my-heroes-tom-stoppard/) [Patrick Marber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-marber/) > [“The ‘role of the theatre’ is much debated (by almost nobody, of course), but the thing defines itself in practice first and foremost as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/the-role-of-the-theatre-is-much-debated-by-almost-nobody-of-course/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [At the drabber moments of my life (swilling some excrement from the steps, for instance, or rooting with a bent coat-hanger down a blocked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/at-the-drabber-moments-of-my-life-swilling-some-excrement-from-the/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [There's no doubt about it. Arcadia is Tom Stoppard's richest, most ravishing comedy to date, a play of wit, intellect, language, brio and, new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-canby/there-s-no-doubt-about-it-arcadia-is-tom-stoppard-s-richest-most/) [Vincent Canby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-canby/) > [There were authors I read as an adult who completely inspired me. But when I was a teenager, I got to hang out with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/there-were-authors-i-read-as-an-adult-who-completely-inspired-me-but/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [Little Christian Bale. It was one of my favorite movies as a kid, and I re-watched it not too long ago, and my jaw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/little-christian-bale-it-was-one-of-my-favorite-movies-as-a-kid-and-i/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) > [“My only companion from the outside world during nineteen years of isolation has been my personal hatred of Thursday Next. It's kind of like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/my-only-companion-from-the-outside-world-during-nineteen-years-of/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [Enchanting is not the word that would immediately spring to mind when describing a play that deals with fractal geometry, iterated algorithms, chaos theory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyn-gardner/enchanting-is-not-the-word-that-would-immediately-spring-to-mind-when/) [Lyn Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyn-gardner/) ## More by Ian Mckellen > [I've always longed for the theatre and acting to be popular. No actor wants to play to an empty house. We only do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-ve-always-longed-for-the-theatre-and-acting-to-be-popular-no-actor/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [It's my impression that I've done every job that I've been asked to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/it-s-my-impression-that-i-ve-done-every-job-that-i-ve-been-asked-to-do/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [I'm fortunate to be famous for two rather imposing characters like Magneto and Gandalf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-m-fortunate-to-be-famous-for-two-rather-imposing-characters-like/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Tolkien is as good as Dickens at sketching a scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/tolkien-is-as-good-as-dickens-at-sketching-a-scene/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [If you are playing King Lear you are the centre of attention anyway. You don't need to draw attention to yourself. It's all laid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/if-you-are-playing-king-lear-you-are-the-centre-of-attention-anyway/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Godot is whatever it is in life that you are waiting for: 'I'm waiting to win the lottery. I'm waiting to fall in love'.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/godot-is-whatever-it-is-in-life-that-you-are-waiting-for-i-m-waiting/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [I'm only an actor. I'm not a writer. I'm not going to leave any legacy. All I've ever done is learn the lines and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-m-only-an-actor-i-m-not-a-writer-i-m-not-going-to-leave-any-legacy/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [I'd never read 'Lord of the Rings' until I was asked to play Gandalf, so I didn't really know it was a frightfully famous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-d-never-read-lord-of-the-rings-until-i-was-asked-to-play-gandalf-so/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [You might be surprised by how interested young people are in older people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/you-might-be-surprised-by-how-interested-young-people-are-in-older/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [The strength of British theatre should be that these actors in their middle years know what they're doing and are good at it. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/the-strength-of-british-theatre-should-be-that-these-actors-in-their/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Until I came out, my acting was all about disguise, and thereafter it became about telling the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/until-i-came-out-my-acting-was-all-about-disguise-and-thereafter-it/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Elijah looks angelic but his beauty of spirit is what makes his Frodo leap out of the screen. Unalloyed goodness is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/elijah-looks-angelic-but-his-beauty-of-spirit-is-what-makes-his-frodo/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > ['The Lego Movie?' I've never heard of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/the-lego-movie-i-ve-never-heard-of-it/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [When I appeared in 'Coronation Street,' I lived in Manchester and enjoyed it very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/when-i-appeared-in-coronation-street-i-lived-in-manchester-and/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [Before acting, I wanted to become a journalist. I also toyed with the idea of being a chef - but that's only when people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/before-acting-i-wanted-to-become-a-journalist-i-also-toyed-with-the/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) [Explore all 247 Ian Mckellen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) ## More Because quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [There were songs that we cut out after we chose the name, because 'Praise Break' turned out to be an underlying concept that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/there-were-songs-that-we-cut-out-after-we-chose-the-name-because/) [Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I was also known as Frodo because I was an early adopter of 'The Lord of the Rings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/i-was-also-known-as-frodo-because-i-was-an-early-adopter-of-the-lord/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [It's like saying French shouldn't be taught because you don't understand it because it's new. Shakespeare is just like learning a new, exciting language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/it-s-like-saying-french-shouldn-t-be-taught-because-you-don-t/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [Sometimes, when full and in fear that I will continue to eat unwanted food just because it's staring at me, I will place my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/sometimes-when-full-and-in-fear-that-i-will-continue-to-eat-unwanted/) [Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I was contacted by Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, MP, through the Pune Film Institute and offered the post in the NFDC. I accepted it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suresh-gopi/i-was-contacted-by-rajyavardhan-singh-rathore-mp-through-the-pune/) [Suresh Gopi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suresh-gopi/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) Browse all 15,485 Because quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I remember Tom Stoppard saying to me when I came out, 'I feel so sorry for you, because you'll never have children.' These days I would say, 'Well, why not, Tom?'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ian Mckellen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-remember-tom-stoppard-saying-to-me-when-i-came-out-i-feel-so-sorry/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Because" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-remember-tom-stoppard-saying-to-me-when-i-came-out-i-feel-so-sorry/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/ian-mckellen-1396_because_i-remember-tom-stoppard-saying-to-me-whe_3128116.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/ian-mckellen-1396_because_i-remember-tom-stoppard-saying-to-me-whe_3128116.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/ian-mckellen-1396_because_i-remember-tom-stoppard-saying-to-me-whe_3128116.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I remember Tom Stoppard saying to me when I came out, 'I feel so sorry for you, because you'll never have…” — Ian Mckellen", "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": "Ian Mckellen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I remember Tom Stoppard saying to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-remember-tom-stoppard-saying-to-me-when-i-came-out-i-feel-so-sorry/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-remember-tom-stoppard-saying-to-me-when-i-came-out-i-feel-so-sorry/#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 } } ] } ```