--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you say children wouldn't know…" description: "\"If you say children wouldn't know anything about masturbation on their own, you've never changed a little boy's diaper.\" — Joycelyn Elders" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/joycelyn-elders-12167_boys_if-you-say-children-wouldn-t-know-anythi_3130546.png" --- # If you say children wouldn't know anything about… ![“If you say children wouldn't know anything about masturbation on their own, you've never changed a little boy's diaper.” quote by Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/joycelyn-elders-12167_boys_if-you-say-children-wouldn-t-know-anythi_3130546.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/joycelyn-elders-12167_boys_if-you-say-children-wouldn-t-know-anythi_3130546.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/joycelyn-elders-12167_boys_if-you-say-children-wouldn-t-know-anythi_3130546.png) > “If you say children wouldn't know anything about masturbation on their own, you've never changed a little boy's diaper.” [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights that children have innate curiosity about sexuality, often discovered through bodily experiences. **In simple terms:** Children naturally explore sexuality. Key Takeaway Respect children's curiosity and provide accurate information. Themes sexuality parenting education Mood thoughtful concerned Type educational informative When to use this quote - parent‑child conversations - sex education curricula - healthcare guidance - child development workshops Key Concepts developmental psychology sexual health body autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How can parents balance openness with age‑appropriate guidance? - What role should schools play in early sexual education? A Different Perspective Some may argue that early exposure could lead to confusion or inappropriate behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boy Diaper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boy-diaper-4581867/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed/) [Changed Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed-little-854626/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Wouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-wouldn-927244/) [Diapers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diapers/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Know Masturbation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-masturbation-1701491/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Little boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-boys/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Masturbation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masturbation/) [Never change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never-change/) [Say Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-children/) ## Related quotes > [Do you know what 'masturbation' is? I think you probably do because you are older than me. But just in case, I will tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/do-you-know-what-masturbation-is-i-think-you-probably-do-because-you/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“We take a beautiful little boy and we put him in a diaper and we give him a lethal weapon and we say LOVE.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hart/we-take-a-beautiful-little-boy-and-we-put-him-in-a-diaper-and-we-give/) [Mark Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hart/) > [There are days when I'll wake up and think, oh, I've really been something. You know, it won't be the same without me. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/there-are-days-when-i-ll-wake-up-and-think-oh-i-ve-really-been/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [I think I've changed a little bit. I don't know whether it's for the better or for the worse at the moment. I've settled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-payne/i-think-i-ve-changed-a-little-bit-i-don-t-know-whether-it-s-for-the/) [Liam Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-payne/) > [I can't believe that I changed so little. I expected to look old and hollow and gray, but I guess it's only me on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrice-sparks/i-can-t-believe-that-i-changed-so-little-i-expected-to-look-old-and/) [Beatrice Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrice-sparks/) > [“I saw, I wrote, and the world changed a little.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-saw-i-wrote-and-the-world-changed-a-little/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [I have changed so much...All the little things I used to trip over don't even seem as important anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-changed-so-much-all-the-little-things-i-used-to-trip-over-don/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Marygreen did not change in sixteen years. It had changed little enough in the past two years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-winsor/marygreen-did-not-change-in-sixteen-years-it-had-changed-little/) [Kathleen Winsor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-winsor/) > [I don't think I've changed since I was a little kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-bale/i-don-t-think-i-ve-changed-since-i-was-a-little-kid/) [Gareth Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-bale/) > [I haven't changed not one little bitty bite To be honest ya the ones who really did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/south-park-mexican/i-haven-t-changed-not-one-little-bitty-bite-to-be-honest-ya-the-ones/) [South Park Mexican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/south-park-mexican/) > [I would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn't give myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-chopin/i-would-give-up-the-unessential-i-would-give-my-money-i-would-give-my/) [Kate Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-chopin/) > [ We are supposed to be liberated in America but if our President \[George W. Bush\] had his way, we wouldn't be educated about sex… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-johansson/we-are-supposed-to-be-liberated-in-america-but-if-our-president/) [Scarlett Johansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-johansson/) > [It's hard for anybody who works a lot and has children. But I wouldn't trade it for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-hard-for-anybody-who-works-a-lot-and-has-children-but-i-wouldn-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was absolutely never going to get pregnant. I never felt that it was the right thing to do. Now I wouldn't trade that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-was-absolutely-never-going-to-get-pregnant-i-never-felt-that-it-was/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [If I were happy, married with six children, I wouldn't be writing. And I doubt if I should want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-brookner/if-i-were-happy-married-with-six-children-i-wouldn-t-be-writing-and-i/) [Anita Brookner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-brookner/) ## More by Joycelyn Elders > [The best contraceptive in the world is a good education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/the-best-contraceptive-in-the-world-is-a-good-education/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [Once I had a professor say to me, "You know you have as much education as a lot of white people." I answered, "Doctor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/once-i-had-a-professor-say-to-me-you-know-you-have-as-much-education/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [Handguns are a public health issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/handguns-are-a-public-health-issue/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [ \[On masturbation:\] I think that it is part of human sexuality, and perhaps it should be taught. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/on-masturbation-i-think-that-it-is-part-of-human-sexuality-and/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [I think we should have a very, very heavy tax on handguns and on bullets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/i-think-we-should-have-a-very-very-heavy-tax-on-handguns-and-on/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [“We have a multiheaded dragon in our midst that for too long has been waging a domestic war on our young, our poor, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/we-have-a-multiheaded-dragon-in-our-midst-that-for-too-long-has-been/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [... black women have always found that in the social order of things we're the least likely to be believed--by anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/black-women-have-always-found-that-in-the-social-order-of-things-we/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [You can't keep an ignorant population healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/you-can-t-keep-an-ignorant-population-healthy/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [Everybody's got to die from somethin'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/everybody-s-got-to-die-from-somethin/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [ \[We must\] deal with all of the contributing factors to gun violence as a whole, because it's like a leaky bucket - if you've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/we-must-deal-with-all-of-the-contributing-factors-to-gun-violence-as/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [You can't educate people that are not healthy. But you certainly can't keep them healthy if they're not educated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/you-can-t-educate-people-that-are-not-healthy-but-you-certainly-can-t/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [As long as I was in Washington I never met anybody that I thought was good enough, who knew enough, or who loved enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/as-long-as-i-was-in-washington-i-never-met-anybody-that-i-thought-was/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [I came there as prime steak and now I feel like low-grade hamburger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/i-came-there-as-prime-steak-and-now-i-feel-like-low-grade-hamburger/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [Health is more than the absence of disease. Health is about jobs and employment, education, the environment, and all of those things that go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/health-is-more-than-the-absence-of-disease-health-is-about-jobs-and/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) > [Health is more than absence of disease; it is about economics, education, environment, empowerment, and community. The health and well being of the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/health-is-more-than-absence-of-disease-it-is-about-economics/) [Joycelyn Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) [Explore all 56 Joycelyn Elders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/) ## More Boys quotes > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [Lets face it this world is ruled by girls that why we must away pleases our girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/lets-face-it-this-world-is-ruled-by-girls-that-why-we-must-away/) [MrAwesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mrawesome/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [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/) > [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/) [Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/) > [In the middle of a play, I go crazy and don't realize what I'm doing. I'll snap back to reality and I realize, 'Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bosworth/in-the-middle-of-a-play-i-go-crazy-and-don-t-realize-what-i-m-doing-i/) [Brian Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bosworth/) > [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/) [Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/) > [The tie's a multi purpose accessory, y'know, belt, school boy, Rambo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/the-tie-s-a-multi-purpose-accessory-y-know-belt-school-boy-rambo/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) > [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/) [Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) [Browse all 7,168 Boys quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you say children wouldn't know anything about masturbation on their own, you've never changed a little boy's diaper.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joycelyn Elders" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/if-you-say-children-wouldn-t-know-anything-about-masturbation-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boys" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/if-you-say-children-wouldn-t-know-anything-about-masturbation-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/joycelyn-elders-12167_boys_if-you-say-children-wouldn-t-know-anythi_3130546.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/joycelyn-elders-12167_boys_if-you-say-children-wouldn-t-know-anythi_3130546.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/joycelyn-elders-12167_boys_if-you-say-children-wouldn-t-know-anythi_3130546.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you say children wouldn't know anything about masturbation on their own, you've never changed a little…” — Joycelyn Elders", "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": "Joycelyn Elders", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joycelyn-elders/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you say children wouldn't know...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/if-you-say-children-wouldn-t-know-anything-about-masturbation-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joycelyn-elders/if-you-say-children-wouldn-t-know-anything-about-masturbation-on/#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 } } ] } ```