--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The rejection I received when I was young…" description: "\"The rejection I received when I was young for being a homosexual... that's nothing compared to the number you do on yourself when you've been taught th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/john-grant-4412_homosexual_the-rejection-i-received-when-i-was-youn_1366389.jpg" --- # The rejection I received when I was young for being a… ![“The rejection I received when I was young for being a homosexual... that's nothing compared to the number you do on yourself when you've been taught that you are not a human like other people.” quote by John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/john-grant-4412_homosexual_the-rejection-i-received-when-i-was-youn_1366389.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/john-grant-4412_homosexual_the-rejection-i-received-when-i-was-youn_1366389.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/john-grant-4412_homosexual_the-rejection-i-received-when-i-was-youn_1366389.jpg) > “The rejection I received when I was young for being a homosexual... that's nothing compared to the number you do on yourself when you've been taught that you are not a human like other people.” [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑rejection can be deeper than external prejudice, especially when society dehumanizes you. **In simple terms:** Self‑rejection can be deeper than external prejudice. Key Takeaway Recognize your humanity and reject internalized stigma. Themes identity self‑acceptance humanity stigma mental health Mood reflective empathetic determined Type personal motivational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - support groups - personal reflection - activism - education Key Concepts self‑esteem internalized oppression social conditioning Questions to Reflect On - How do you affirm your own humanity? - What steps can you take to counter internalized stigma? A Different Perspective If you view yourself as less than human, change is hard. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Homosexual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexual/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rejection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejection/) ## Related quotes > [“A young homosexual friend recently said, "It's no secret that you, that one, has such-and-such color hair, is yea high, weighs thus and so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-miller/a-young-homosexual-friend-recently-said-it-s-no-secret-that-you-that/) [Merle Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-miller/) > [People can tolerate two homosexuals they see leaving together, but the next day they're smiling, holding hands, tenderly embracing one another, then they cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/people-can-tolerate-two-homosexuals-they-see-leaving-together-but-the/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [I'm always amazed at the American practice of allowing one party to a homosexual act to remain passive--it's so undemocratic. Sexmust be mutual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/i-m-always-amazed-at-the-american-practice-of-allowing-one-party-to-a/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Make no mistake: Homosexuals' human right must be protected. It is bigoted to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation or preferences just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-sina/make-no-mistake-homosexuals-human-right-must-be-protected-it-is/) [Ali Sina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-sina/) > [Homosexuals in Russia live in peace, work, are promoted, receive national awards for their achievements in science, art or any other sphere, medals are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/homosexuals-in-russia-live-in-peace-work-are-promoted-receive/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [You have to take your hat off to the homosexual and gay community cause right now they're as strong as black people USE to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrese-gibson/you-have-to-take-your-hat-off-to-the-homosexual-and-gay-community/) [Tyrese Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrese-gibson/) > [Homosexual behavior is a ground for divorce, an act of sexual misconduct punishable as a crime in Alabama, a crime against nature, an inherent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-moore/homosexual-behavior-is-a-ground-for-divorce-an-act-of-sexual/) [Roy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-moore/) > [I, Binyavanga Wainaina, quite honestly swear I have known I am a homosexual since I was five.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-binyavanga-wainaina-quite-honestly-swear-i-have-known-i-am-a/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-martin/i-am-proud-to-say-that-i-am-a-fortunate-homosexual-man-i-am-very/) [Ricky Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-martin/) > [If you ask me:"An openly homosexual teacher can work as a teacher? I say no. (...) I'll not do anything to discriminate you, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianfranco-fini/if-you-ask-me-an-openly-homosexual-teacher-can-work-as-a-teacher-i/) [Gianfranco Fini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianfranco-fini/) > [being homosexual doesn't determine a man's whole character any more than being heterosexual does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/being-homosexual-doesn-t-determine-a-man-s-whole-character-any-more/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [Something inside of me tells me that being homosexual is probably wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/something-inside-of-me-tells-me-that-being-homosexual-is-probably/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [Hitler recruited around him homosexuals to make up his Stormtroopers, they were his enforcers, they were his thugs. And Hitler discovered that he could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-fischer/hitler-recruited-around-him-homosexuals-to-make-up-his-stormtroopers/) [Bryan Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-fischer/) > [People are messy and complex, particularly in the homosexual world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/people-are-messy-and-complex-particularly-in-the-homosexual-world/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [I'm homosexual. How and why are idle questions. It's a little like wanting to know why my eyes are green.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-genet/i-m-homosexual-how-and-why-are-idle-questions-it-s-a-little-like/) [Jean Genet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-genet/) ## More by John Grant > [People have always painted me like a pessimist, like somebody who sees the glass half-empty. But I think the fact that I keep showing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/people-have-always-painted-me-like-a-pessimist-like-somebody-who-sees/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [The most horrifying thing I ever did was work as a steward on an airplane. I wanted to get hired by United. I thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/the-most-horrifying-thing-i-ever-did-was-work-as-a-steward-on-an/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [I don't really experience much embarrassment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/i-don-t-really-experience-much-embarrassment/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [I have trouble with things like Facebook. It presents such a warped vision. I get sick of people's opinions about every little thing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/i-have-trouble-with-things-like-facebook-it-presents-such-a-warped/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [The 1980s were all about synths for me, and it never went away after that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/the-1980s-were-all-about-synths-for-me-and-it-never-went-away-after/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [I loved the whole New Romantic, New Wave thing... New Order, Soft Cell, Depeche Mode, Gary Numan, Blancmange, Yazoo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/i-loved-the-whole-new-romantic-new-wave-thing-new-order-soft-cell/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > ['Ernest Borgnine' is sort of my version of Woody Allen's 'Purple Rose Of Cairo' in that it's about the occasional difficulty of coming to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/ernest-borgnine-is-sort-of-my-version-of-woody-allen-s-purple-rose-of/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [I feel uncomfortable when I think about my father listening to my records, because I don't want to hurt him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/i-feel-uncomfortable-when-i-think-about-my-father-listening-to-my/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [I don't cry easily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/i-don-t-cry-easily/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [I had never considered myself a political guy, but there are certain things I can't shut up about. When I hear people say things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/i-had-never-considered-myself-a-political-guy-but-there-are-certain/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [The thing is I don't feel like my story is special. I don't feel like it's different to anybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/the-thing-is-i-don-t-feel-like-my-story-is-special-i-don-t-feel-like/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [I think the humor, when applied in the right amount, only serves to intensify the other emotions in a given song; it highlights them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/i-think-the-humor-when-applied-in-the-right-amount-only-serves-to/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [I just feel like this guy who's visiting the music business over the weekend. Every time I write a song, I feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/i-just-feel-like-this-guy-who-s-visiting-the-music-business-over-the/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [I've kept most of my friends for decades, and I continue to make new friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/i-ve-kept-most-of-my-friends-for-decades-and-i-continue-to-make-new/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [I'm very proud that I have learned German and Russian. Especially Russian, because of how difficult and beautiful it is and because of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/i-m-very-proud-that-i-have-learned-german-and-russian-especially/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) [Explore all 111 John Grant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) ## More Homosexual quotes > [I'm homosexual. How and why are idle questions. It's a little like wanting to know why my eyes are green.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-genet/i-m-homosexual-how-and-why-are-idle-questions-it-s-a-little-like/) [Jean Genet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-genet/) > [Personally, I think that children should be left alone, they should be given an opportunity to grow up, to become aware of themselves and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/personally-i-think-that-children-should-be-left-alone-they-should-be/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [People are messy and complex, particularly in the homosexual world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/people-are-messy-and-complex-particularly-in-the-homosexual-world/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [Hitler recruited around him homosexuals to make up his Stormtroopers, they were his enforcers, they were his thugs. And Hitler discovered that he could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-fischer/hitler-recruited-around-him-homosexuals-to-make-up-his-stormtroopers/) [Bryan Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-fischer/) > [Selfish hedonism is not a pejorative. It is a description - an exactly accurate description of what is involved in homosexual relations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/selfish-hedonism-is-not-a-pejorative-it-is-a-description-an-exactly/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [Persons who have cleansed themselves of any transgression and who have shown their ability to deal with homosexual inclinations and put them in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/persons-who-have-cleansed-themselves-of-any-transgression-and-who/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts. I do not believe that the Armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-pace/i-believe-that-homosexual-acts-between-individuals-are-immoral-and/) [Peter Pace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-pace/) > [Something inside of me tells me that being homosexual is probably wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/something-inside-of-me-tells-me-that-being-homosexual-is-probably/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [New Rule: I don't give two fingleberries and a McShit-all that Dumbledore is gay. I never wanted to know who Dumbledore was in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-i-don-t-give-two-fingleberries-and-a-mcshit-all-that/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [It's imprecise and insufficient, defining the homosexual as a person whose gender expression is at odds with his or her sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/it-s-imprecise-and-insufficient-defining-the-homosexual-as-a-person/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [The Bible was written between 3,000 and 2,000 years ago, and it's filled with the knowledge that people had in that period of time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-bible-was-written-between-3-000-and-2-000-years-ago-and-it-s/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [being homosexual doesn't determine a man's whole character any more than being heterosexual does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/being-homosexual-doesn-t-determine-a-man-s-whole-character-any-more/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [If you ask me:"An openly homosexual teacher can work as a teacher? I say no. (...) I'll not do anything to discriminate you, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianfranco-fini/if-you-ask-me-an-openly-homosexual-teacher-can-work-as-a-teacher-i/) [Gianfranco Fini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianfranco-fini/) > [Homosexuals are not monogamous. They want to destroy the institution of marriage. It will destroy marriage. It will destroy the Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/homosexuals-are-not-monogamous-they-want-to-destroy-the-institution/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-martin/i-am-proud-to-say-that-i-am-a-fortunate-homosexual-man-i-am-very/) [Ricky Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-martin/) [Browse all 594 Homosexual quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexual/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The rejection I received when I was young for being a homosexual... that's nothing compared to the number you do on yourself when you've been taught that you are not a human like other people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Grant" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/the-rejection-i-received-when-i-was-young-for-being-a-homosexual-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Homosexual" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/the-rejection-i-received-when-i-was-young-for-being-a-homosexual-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/john-grant-4412_homosexual_the-rejection-i-received-when-i-was-youn_1366389.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/john-grant-4412_homosexual_the-rejection-i-received-when-i-was-youn_1366389.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/john-grant-4412_homosexual_the-rejection-i-received-when-i-was-youn_1366389.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The rejection I received when I was young for being a homosexual... that's nothing compared to the number…” — John Grant", "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": "John Grant", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The rejection I received when I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/the-rejection-i-received-when-i-was-young-for-being-a-homosexual-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/the-rejection-i-received-when-i-was-young-for-being-a-homosexual-that/#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 } } ] } ```