--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It seemed to be a fundamental thing that…" description: "\"It seemed to be a fundamental thing that women have something men don't, the obvious being an ability to bear children, and the resilience to hang in a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/253/joss-whedon-480_ability_it-seemed-to-be-a-fundamental-thing-that_2049473.jpg" --- # It seemed to be a fundamental thing that women have… ![“It seemed to be a fundamental thing that women have something men don't, the obvious being an ability to bear children, and the resilience to hang in as parents. I don't understand why or how anyone ever pulled off the whole idea of "women are inferior".” quote by Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/253/joss-whedon-480_ability_it-seemed-to-be-a-fundamental-thing-that_2049473.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/253/joss-whedon-480_ability_it-seemed-to-be-a-fundamental-thing-that_2049473.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/253/joss-whedon-480_ability_it-seemed-to-be-a-fundamental-thing-that_2049473.jpg) > “It seemed to be a fundamental thing that women have something men don't, the obvious being an ability to bear children, and the resilience to hang in as parents. I don't understand why or how anyone ever pulled off the whole idea of "women are inferior".” [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Women possess unique biological and emotional strengths that counter stereotypes of inferiority. **In simple terms:** Women have distinct abilities that challenge outdated ideas of inferiority. Key Takeaway Recognize and value women's contributions. Themes gender equality strength stereotypes parenthood Mood determined empowering Type cultural advocacy When to use this quote - workplace policies - family dynamics - education - media representation - activism Key Concepts feminist theory social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can society better support women's roles? - What assumptions about gender need reexamination? A Different Perspective The view may essentialize gender and ignore individual differences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bears/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Resilience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resilience/) ## Related quotes > [I don't understand why or how anyone ever pulled off the whole idea of 'women are inferior.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-don-t-understand-why-or-how-anyone-ever-pulled-off-the-whole-idea/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [There is another way in which the general opinion, that women are inferior to men, is manifested…I allude to the disproportionate value set on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moore-grimke/there-is-another-way-in-which-the-general-opinion-that-women-are/) [Sarah Moore Grimke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moore-grimke/) > [All women are inferior to men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/all-women-are-inferior-to-men/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [Just so long as all our literature is pervaded with the thought that women are inferior, so long will our sex be held in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillie-devereux-blake/just-so-long-as-all-our-literature-is-pervaded-with-the-thought-that/) [Lillie Devereux Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillie-devereux-blake/) > [The idea that women are actually getting some jobs - whoopee. I can't say that I celebrate it without a hint of cynicism, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anjelica-huston/the-idea-that-women-are-actually-getting-some-jobs-whoopee-i-can-t/) [Anjelica Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anjelica-huston/) > [ \[Women\] Inferior? Superior! I am sexist, of course. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-korwin-mikke/women-inferior-superior-i-am-sexist-of-course/) [Janusz Korwin-Mikke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-korwin-mikke/) > [“if you are the exception that proves the rule, and the rule is that women are inferior, you haven't made any progress”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-levy/if-you-are-the-exception-that-proves-the-rule-and-the-rule-is-that-2/) [Ariel Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-levy/) > [Women are inferior to none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-chandrababu-naidu/women-are-inferior-to-none/) [N. Chandrababu Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-chandrababu-naidu/) > [While notable advances in certain parts of the world in woman's rights have occured in the last hundred years, the centuries of conditioning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/while-notable-advances-in-certain-parts-of-the-world-in-woman-s/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [This view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion or belief. It is widespread. Women are prevented from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/this-view-that-women-are-somehow-inferior-to-men-is-not-restricted-to/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [ \[Sexism is\] behavior, policy, language, or other action of men or women which expresses the institutionalized, systematic, comprehensive, or consistent view that women are… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheris-kramarae/sexism-is-behavior-policy-language-or-other-action-of-men-or-women/) Cheris Kramarae > [Women are not men's equals in anything except responsibility. We are not their inferiors, either, or even their superiors. We are quite simply different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/women-are-not-men-s-equals-in-anything-except-responsibility-we-are/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [anything being perceived as being superior takes the noun. And everything that isn't, that's judged to be inferior, requires an adjective. So there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/anything-being-perceived-as-being-superior-takes-the-noun-and/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Ahimsa can be practiced only towards those that are inferior to you in every way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/ahimsa-can-be-practiced-only-towards-those-that-are-inferior-to-you/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Snobs are people who look down on other people, but that does not justify our looking down on them. Who can say what dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/snobs-are-people-who-look-down-on-other-people-but-that-does-not/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) ## More by Joss Whedon > [I do remember what I said. The promise. To protect her. If I'd done that ... even if I didn't make it, you wouldn't've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-do-remember-what-i-said-the-promise-to-protect-her-if-i-d-done-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Every vampire fiction reinvents vampires to its own needs. You take what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/every-vampire-fiction-reinvents-vampires-to-its-own-needs-you-take/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [When you're making a film, you have an obligation to fill the frame with life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/when-you-re-making-a-film-you-have-an-obligation-to-fill-the-frame/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Everything we do really is just a little marker on the long road to death. And sometimes that’s overwhelmingly depressing to me, and sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/everything-we-do-really-is-just-a-little-marker-on-the-long-road-to/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [At the end of the day I have many answers for it. It has to do with my mom, who was an extraordinary woman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/at-the-end-of-the-day-i-have-many-answers-for-it-it-has-to-do-with-my/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“Why aren’t you asking a hundred other guys why they don’t write strong women characters? I believe that what I’m doing should not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/why-aren-t-you-asking-a-hundred-other-guys-why-they-don-t-write/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [People feel removed from sexism. 'I'm not a sexist, but I'm not a feminist.' They think there's this fuzzy middle ground. There's no fuzzy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/people-feel-removed-from-sexism-i-m-not-a-sexist-but-i-m-not-a/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Even in the darkness, every color can be found. And every day of rain brings water flowing to things growing in the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/even-in-the-darkness-every-color-can-be-found-and-every-day-of-rain/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I never tire of the heroes that I knew growing up. The fun is not that much different from doing a television show: You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-never-tire-of-the-heroes-that-i-knew-growing-up-the-fun-is-not-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Don't just be yourself. Be all of your selves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/don-t-just-be-yourself-be-all-of-your-selves/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I always watch what I say. I am what I say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-always-watch-what-i-say-i-am-what-i-say/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Remember to always be yourself. Unless you suck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/remember-to-always-be-yourself-unless-you-suck/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I've become less cynical, which is appalling but kind of cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-ve-become-less-cynical-which-is-appalling-but-kind-of-cool/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“Xander: It could be witches, some evil witches, which is ridiculous cause witched they were persecuted, women power, love the eatrh, and I'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/xander-it-could-be-witches-some-evil-witches-which-is-ridiculous/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [There's a lot of anger in the Twitter-verse, as I've discovered. But there's a lot of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/there-s-a-lot-of-anger-in-the-twitter-verse-as-i-ve-discovered-but/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) [Explore all 529 Joss Whedon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It seemed to be a fundamental thing that women have something men don't, the obvious being an ability to bear children, and the resilience to hang in as parents. 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