--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a gatekeeper, and the gatekeepers all…" description: "\"I'm a gatekeeper, and the gatekeepers all used to be mostly old, white men.\" — Jim Lehrer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/jim-lehrer-10656_gatekeepers_i-m-a-gatekeeper-and-the-gatekeepers-all_2936447.png" --- # I'm a gatekeeper, and the gatekeepers all used to be… ![“I'm a gatekeeper, and the gatekeepers all used to be mostly old, white men.” quote by Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/jim-lehrer-10656_gatekeepers_i-m-a-gatekeeper-and-the-gatekeepers-all_2936447.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/jim-lehrer-10656_gatekeepers_i-m-a-gatekeeper-and-the-gatekeepers-all_2936447.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/jim-lehrer-10656_gatekeepers_i-m-a-gatekeeper-and-the-gatekeepers-all_2936447.png) > “I'm a gatekeeper, and the gatekeepers all used to be mostly old, white men.” [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights historical dominance of old white men in gatekeeping roles **In simple terms:** Gatekeeping historically dominated by old white men Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge gatekeeping biases Themes social equity history power structures Mood thoughtful determined Type political social When to use this quote - corporate hiring - media leadership - political appointments Key Concepts gatekeeping demographic bias institutional power Questions to Reflect On - How can diverse gatekeepers be cultivated? - What barriers persist in gatekeeping? A Different Perspective Changing entrenched structures takes time and resistance ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gatekeepers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gatekeepers/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [Because I'm a special gatekeeper. I'm the head gatekeeper. Because, although, as you can see, I'm only a head, I'm also the gatekeeper. Which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rankin/because-i-m-a-special-gatekeeper-i-m-the-head-gatekeeper-because/) [Robert Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rankin/) > [After I die, I shall return to earth as a gatekeeper of a bordello and I won't let any of you enter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arturo-toscanini/after-i-die-i-shall-return-to-earth-as-a-gatekeeper-of-a-bordello-and/) [Arturo Toscanini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arturo-toscanini/) > [Your job is to be you, which includes being the chief beneficiary of all things you do right, the chief victim of all you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-hax/your-job-is-to-be-you-which-includes-being-the-chief-beneficiary-of/) [Carolyn Hax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-hax/) > [History knocks at a thousand gates at every moment, and the gatekeeper is chance. We shout into the mist for this one or that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-herzen/history-knocks-at-a-thousand-gates-at-every-moment-and-the-gatekeeper/) [Alexander Herzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-herzen/) > [Gatekeeper was sort of my first attempt to put a little bit of a frame and boundaries around songwriting, and try to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/gatekeeper-was-sort-of-my-first-attempt-to-put-a-little-bit-of-a/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [Some people will come up to me and say, somebody stole this from you flow-wise. I'll say I gave it. Who am I to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wall/some-people-will-come-up-to-me-and-say-somebody-stole-this-from-you/) [Paul Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wall/) > [“You are the gatekeeper to your life and your home. You get to decide who or what comes in and what needs to stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-grice/you-are-the-gatekeeper-to-your-life-and-your-home-you-get-to-decide/) Jen Grice > [Every book that doesn't first have to get past a gatekeeper or two, or 10, before being put in front of the public will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/every-book-that-doesn-t-first-have-to-get-past-a-gatekeeper-or-two-or/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [It's important to be the gatekeeper against dangerous ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tzipi-livni/it-s-important-to-be-the-gatekeeper-against-dangerous-ideas/) [Tzipi Livni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tzipi-livni/) > [“I am the gatekeeper to my own destiny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-black/i-am-the-gatekeeper-to-my-own-destiny/) [Jack Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-black/) > [“Gatekeeper, the Facebook feature toggling service.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kim/gatekeeper-the-facebook-feature-toggling-service/) [Gene Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kim/) > [I'm not going to be a gatekeeper. You would look at the four losses and assume, 'Well, he could be a gatekeeper now.' It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-porter/i-m-not-going-to-be-a-gatekeeper-you-would-look-at-the-four-losses/) [Shawn Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-porter/) > [“Everyone living in our time is a gatekeeper, not by choice, but by virtue of the age in which we are all born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobina-fynn/everyone-living-in-our-time-is-a-gatekeeper-not-by-choice-but-by/) Kobina Fynn > [I guess it's better to be a gatekeeper than not be in the UFC anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-guess-it-s-better-to-be-a-gatekeeper-than-not-be-in-the-ufc-anymore/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [“Jesus is the gatekeeper for the thoughts I put in my mind and the identity I allow to sink into my heart. Lord,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/jesus-is-the-gatekeeper-for-the-thoughts-i-put-in-my-mind-and-the/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) ## More by Jim Lehrer > [I always wear blue shirts and I like wine or purple ties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/i-always-wear-blue-shirts-and-i-like-wine-or-purple-ties/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [There's always a germ of truth in just about everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/there-s-always-a-germ-of-truth-in-just-about-everything/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [No two people see things the same way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/no-two-people-see-things-the-same-way/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [Best I can do for them is to give them every piece of information I can find and let them make the judgments. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/best-i-can-do-for-them-is-to-give-them-every-piece-of-information-i/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [The shouting and opinion and jokes don't exist if there isn't first a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/the-shouting-and-opinion-and-jokes-don-t-exist-if-there-isn-t-first-a/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [I started as a print reporter. I’m a journalist and that’s what I do. My function is an anchorperson, but it’s in a journalism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/i-started-as-a-print-reporter-i-m-a-journalist-and-that-s-what-i-do/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [On a daily basis there are some huge ones that are, sure, from time to time, but it is helping the reader sort through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/on-a-daily-basis-there-are-some-huge-ones-that-are-sure-from-time-to/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [We have increasingly fewer and fewer journalists who have any military experience and understand what life is like in the military and in combat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/we-have-increasingly-fewer-and-fewer-journalists-who-have-any/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [As I say, I'm a discourse advocate. What form it comes is less important to me than the fact that there is discourse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/as-i-say-i-m-a-discourse-advocate-what-form-it-comes-is-less/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [The death rate among Marines in Iraq has been more than double that of the other services.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/the-death-rate-among-marines-in-iraq-has-been-more-than-double-that/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [I'm in the reporting part of journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/i-m-in-the-reporting-part-of-journalism/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [A skill required to be president is to explain to the American people any given thing they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/a-skill-required-to-be-president-is-to-explain-to-the-american-people/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [Those who know me know I won't hesitate to turn around and point someone out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/those-who-know-me-know-i-won-t-hesitate-to-turn-around-and-point/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [Let me be clear: Despite Roger Clemens' statements to the contrary, I never injected Roger Clemens, or anyone else, with lidocaine or B-12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/let-me-be-clear-despite-roger-clemens-statements-to-the-contrary-i/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [People can get their news any way they want. What I love about what's happened is that there are so many different avenues, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/people-can-get-their-news-any-way-they-want-what-i-love-about-what-s/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) [Explore all 64 Jim Lehrer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) ## More Gatekeepers quotes > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [“If Amazon’s dream of a world without gatekeepers becomes reality, then the company itself will become a powerful gatekeeper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/if-amazon-s-dream-of-a-world-without-gatekeepers-becomes-reality-then/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [Schools have never been about getting access to information. That's the job of libraries. Schools and universities have nobler missions as gentle gatekeepers. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-nikiforuk/schools-have-never-been-about-getting-access-to-information-that-s/) Andrew Nikiforuk > [O Logic: born gatekeeper to the Temple of Science, victim of capricious destiny: doomed hitherto to be the drudge of pedants: come to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-bentham/o-logic-born-gatekeeper-to-the-temple-of-science-victim-of-capricious/) [Jeremy Bentham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-bentham/) > [I like the way you can circumvent the media gatekeepers and go right to the people. That's my favorite thing about Twitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/i-like-the-way-you-can-circumvent-the-media-gatekeepers-and-go-right/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [We don't always endorse what businesses sell through Stripe, but we do think it's critical that we and our peers don't act as gatekeepers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/we-don-t-always-endorse-what-businesses-sell-through-stripe-but-we-do/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [You know, I feel like people in this country who feel really strongly about a man and a woman being the only -- the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-jessica-parker/you-know-i-feel-like-people-in-this-country-who-feel-really-strongly/) [Sarah Jessica Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-jessica-parker/) > [We, as adults, are the gatekeepers, and we have to check our own fears at the door because we want our children to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/we-as-adults-are-the-gatekeepers-and-we-have-to-check-our-own-fears/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [Because I'm a special gatekeeper. I'm the head gatekeeper. Because, although, as you can see, I'm only a head, I'm also the gatekeeper. Which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rankin/because-i-m-a-special-gatekeeper-i-m-the-head-gatekeeper-because/) [Robert Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rankin/) > [Librarians are not just gatekeepers to knowledge, they are what the American Indians used to call their special sages who preserved the oral legends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-h-billington/librarians-are-not-just-gatekeepers-to-knowledge-they-are-what-the/) James H. Billington > [The publicists are the gatekeepers, and they wield a lot of power. They're the ones giving you access to their clients.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-danza/the-publicists-are-the-gatekeepers-and-they-wield-a-lot-of-power-they/) [Tony Danza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-danza/) > [With social media, the gatekeepers are our followers. It has opened so many doors for me not only musically, but fashion-wise as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saweetie/with-social-media-the-gatekeepers-are-our-followers-it-has-opened-so/) [Saweetie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saweetie/) > [After I die, I shall return to earth as a gatekeeper of a bordello and I won't let any of you enter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arturo-toscanini/after-i-die-i-shall-return-to-earth-as-a-gatekeeper-of-a-bordello-and/) [Arturo Toscanini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arturo-toscanini/) > [We have a lot of relationships to the gatekeepers who can rally their people to go to the movie theater. It's a trusting relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-r-white/we-have-a-lot-of-relationships-to-the-gatekeepers-who-can-rally-their/) [David A. R. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-r-white/) > [To annihilate indigenous populations eventually paves the way to our own annihilation. They are the only people who practice sustainable living. We think they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/to-annihilate-indigenous-populations-eventually-paves-the-way-to-our/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) [Browse all 81 Gatekeepers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gatekeepers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm a gatekeeper, and the gatekeepers all used to be mostly old, white men.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jim Lehrer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/i-m-a-gatekeeper-and-the-gatekeepers-all-used-to-be-mostly-old-white/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gatekeepers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/i-m-a-gatekeeper-and-the-gatekeepers-all-used-to-be-mostly-old-white/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/jim-lehrer-10656_gatekeepers_i-m-a-gatekeeper-and-the-gatekeepers-all_2936447.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/jim-lehrer-10656_gatekeepers_i-m-a-gatekeeper-and-the-gatekeepers-all_2936447.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/jim-lehrer-10656_gatekeepers_i-m-a-gatekeeper-and-the-gatekeepers-all_2936447.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm a gatekeeper, and the gatekeepers all used to be mostly old, white men.” — Jim Lehrer", "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": "Jim Lehrer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm a gatekeeper, and the gatekeepers...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/i-m-a-gatekeeper-and-the-gatekeepers-all-used-to-be-mostly-old-white/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/i-m-a-gatekeeper-and-the-gatekeepers-all-used-to-be-mostly-old-white/#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 } } ] } ```