--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sexism occurs when we assume that some…" description: "\"“Sexism occurs when we assume that some people are less valid or natural than others because of their sex, gender, or sexuality; it occurs when we proj..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/julia-serano-16814_double-standards_sexism-occurs-when-we-assume-that-some-p_722459.jpg" --- # Sexism occurs when we assume that some people are less… ![“Sexism occurs when we assume that some people are less valid or natural than others because of their sex, gender, or sexuality; it occurs when we project our own expectations and assumptions about sex, gender, and sexuality onto other people, and police their behaviors accordingly; it occurs when…” quote by Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/julia-serano-16814_double-standards_sexism-occurs-when-we-assume-that-some-p_722459.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/julia-serano-16814_double-standards_sexism-occurs-when-we-assume-that-some-p_722459.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/julia-serano-16814_double-standards_sexism-occurs-when-we-assume-that-some-p_722459.jpg) > ““Sexism occurs when we assume that some people are less valid or natural than others because of their sex, gender, or sexuality; it occurs when we project our own expectations and assumptions about sex, gender, and sexuality onto other people, and police their behaviors accordingly; it occurs when we reduce another person to their sex, gender, or sexuality rather than seeing them as a whole, legitimate person. That is sexism. And a person is a legitimate feminist when they have made a commitment to challenging sexist double standards wherever and whenever they arise. An individual's personal style, mannerisms, identity, consensual sexual partners, and live choices simply shouldn't factor into it.”” [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sexism reduces people to gender labels, ignoring their full humanity; true feminism opposes this reduction. **In simple terms:** Sexism flattens identity; feminism restores wholeness. Key Takeaway Respect whole persons beyond gender. Themes gender sexism feminism identity equality Mood thoughtful inspirational Type social educational When to use this quote - workplace policies - education curricula - media representation - personal relationships Key Concepts intersectionality social justice Questions to Reflect On - How can you challenge gender stereotypes in daily life? - What actions support inclusive environments? A Different Perspective Opposing sexism can clash with cultural traditions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Double standards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/double-standards/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Personal style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-style/) [Sexism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexism/) ## Related quotes > [I mean, what is racism? Racism is a projection of our own fears onto another person. What is sexism? 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Mallory and I watched him, the same grimace on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-neill/he-humphed-and-grabbed-a-carton-of-milk-then-chugged-directly-from/) [Chloe Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-neill/) > [You are not bound to any one .because if they leave hold the door open because they don't deserve to live in ur life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda/you-are-not-bound-to-any-one-because-if-they-leave-hold-the-door-open/) [Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda/) > [“The beauty myth sets it up this way: A high rating as an art object is the most valuable tribute a woman can exact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/the-beauty-myth-sets-it-up-this-way-a-high-rating-as-an-art-object-is/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) > [You can be a virgin but if u talk to the wrong guy ur a hoe .but if a guy is a virgin and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda/you-can-be-a-virgin-but-if-u-talk-to-the-wrong-guy-ur-a-hoe-but-if-a/) [Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda/) > [ “\[N\]o language has ever had a word for a virgin man.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/n-o-language-has-ever-had-a-word-for-a-virgin-man/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [“It is with philosophy as with religion : men marvel at the absurdity of other people's tenets, while exactly parallel absurdities remain in their own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/it-is-with-philosophy-as-with-religion-men-marvel-at-the-absurdity-of/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“If from immemorable time, the Men had been so little envious, and so very impartial, as to do justice to our talents, by admitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-sophia-fermor/if-from-immemorable-time-the-men-had-been-so-little-envious-and-so/) [Lady Sophia Fermor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-sophia-fermor/) > [“While we avoid taking credit for success, women leap at the opportunity to take responsibility for failure. Men tend to externalize the reasons for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colette-dowling/while-we-avoid-taking-credit-for-success-women-leap-at-the/) [Colette Dowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colette-dowling/) > [I want someone that'll love me unconditionally through the good and bad. No double standard. I want something real, just once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-want-someone-that-ll-love-me-unconditionally-through-the-good-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The next time believers tell you that 'separation of church and state' does not appear in our founding document, tell them to stop using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barker/the-next-time-believers-tell-you-that-separation-of-church-and-state/) [Dan Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barker/) > [“If men could see us as we really are, they would be a little amazed; but the cleverest, the acutest men are often under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/if-men-could-see-us-as-we-really-are-they-would-be-a-little-amazed/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [I think people are more likely to comment on a thin person's weight then the weight of an over weight person. Double standard?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-people-are-more-likely-to-comment-on-a-thin-person-s-weight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Julia Serano > [In trans women's eyes, I see a wisdom that can only come from having to fight for your right to be recognized as female,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/in-trans-women-s-eyes-i-see-a-wisdom-that-can-only-come-from-having/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [“Male pride is not really about pride. It's about fear - the fear of being seen as feminine. And that's why "girl stuff" is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/male-pride-is-not-really-about-pride-it-s-about-fear-the-fear-of/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [“See, we live in a phallus obsessed culture, where we're all brought up to believe that everything having to do with gender and sexuality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/see-we-live-in-a-phallus-obsessed-culture-where-we-re-all-brought-up/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [Many of us reject all of the inferior meanings and connotations that others project onto femininity - that it is weak, artificial, frivolous, demure,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/many-of-us-reject-all-of-the-inferior-meanings-and-connotations-that/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [I am rather disturbed by the fact that so many people—who are neither medical professionals nor trans themselves—would want to hear all of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/i-am-rather-disturbed-by-the-fact-that-so-many-people-who-are-neither/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [“Alliance-based activism begins with the recognition that we are all individuals, each with a limited history and experiencing a largely unique set of privileges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/alliance-based-activism-begins-with-the-recognition-that-we-are-all/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [My parents were exclude from rights as farm workers, though that has to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/my-parents-were-exclude-from-rights-as-farm-workers-though-that-has/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [The hardest part has been learning how to take myself seriously when the entire world is constantly telling me that femininity is always inferior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/the-hardest-part-has-been-learning-how-to-take-myself-seriously-when/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [Be happy when you don't notice that you're getting old, it means you have had a great life so far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/be-happy-when-you-don-t-notice-that-you-re-getting-old-it-means-you/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [Fetishes are literally viewed as fake forms of attraction. The fetish concept is used to delegitimatize attraction to any and all bodies that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/fetishes-are-literally-viewed-as-fake-forms-of-attraction-the-fetish/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [Life has taught you many things, and the people close to you want you to have a good future, but it isn't their future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/life-has-taught-you-many-things-and-the-people-close-to-you-want-you/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [“No form of gender equity can ever truly be achieved until we first work to empower femininity itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/no-form-of-gender-equity-can-ever-truly-be-achieved-until-we-first/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [“The thing that always impresses me about human beings is our diversity. Even when we are brought up in similar environments, we still somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/the-thing-that-always-impresses-me-about-human-beings-is-our/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [“It is offensive that so many people feel that it is okay to publicly refer to transsexuals as being “pre-op” or “post-op” when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/it-is-offensive-that-so-many-people-feel-that-it-is-okay-to-publicly/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) > [“While some male "admirers" of trans women tend to fetishize us for our femininity or our imagined sexual submissiveness, I find trans women hot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-serano/while-some-male-admirers-of-trans-women-tend-to-fetishize-us-for-our/) [Julia Serano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) [Explore all 33 Julia Serano quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-serano/) ## More Double standards quotes > [I think people are more likely to comment on a thin person's weight then the weight of an over weight person. Double standard?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-people-are-more-likely-to-comment-on-a-thin-person-s-weight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If men could see us as we really are, they would be a little amazed; but the cleverest, the acutest men are often under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/if-men-could-see-us-as-we-really-are-they-would-be-a-little-amazed/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“The next time believers tell you that 'separation of church and state' does not appear in our founding document, tell them to stop using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barker/the-next-time-believers-tell-you-that-separation-of-church-and-state/) [Dan Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barker/) > [I want someone that'll love me unconditionally through the good and bad. No double standard. I want something real, just once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-want-someone-that-ll-love-me-unconditionally-through-the-good-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“While we avoid taking credit for success, women leap at the opportunity to take responsibility for failure. Men tend to externalize the reasons for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colette-dowling/while-we-avoid-taking-credit-for-success-women-leap-at-the/) [Colette Dowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colette-dowling/) > [“If from immemorable time, the Men had been so little envious, and so very impartial, as to do justice to our talents, by admitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-sophia-fermor/if-from-immemorable-time-the-men-had-been-so-little-envious-and-so/) [Lady Sophia Fermor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-sophia-fermor/) > [“It is with philosophy as with religion : men marvel at the absurdity of other people's tenets, while exactly parallel absurdities remain in their own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/it-is-with-philosophy-as-with-religion-men-marvel-at-the-absurdity-of/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [ “\[N\]o language has ever had a word for a virgin man.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/n-o-language-has-ever-had-a-word-for-a-virgin-man/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [You can be a virgin but if u talk to the wrong guy ur a hoe .but if a guy is a virgin and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda/you-can-be-a-virgin-but-if-u-talk-to-the-wrong-guy-ur-a-hoe-but-if-a/) [Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda/) > [“The beauty myth sets it up this way: A high rating as an art object is the most valuable tribute a woman can exact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/the-beauty-myth-sets-it-up-this-way-a-high-rating-as-an-art-object-is/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) > [You are not bound to any one .because if they leave hold the door open because they don't deserve to live in ur life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda/you-are-not-bound-to-any-one-because-if-they-leave-hold-the-door-open/) [Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda/) > [“He humphed and grabbed a carton of milk, then chugged directly from the cardboard spout. 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Thats all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-double-standards-do-not-work-in-anything-you-do-in-life-thats/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 193 Double standards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/double-standards/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Sexism occurs when we assume that some people are less valid or natural than others because of their sex, gender, or sexuality; it occurs when we project our own expectations and assumptions about sex, gender, and sexuality onto other people, and police their behaviors accordingly; it occurs when we reduce another person to their sex, gender, or sexuality rather than seeing them as a whole, legitimate person. That is sexism. And a person is a legitimate feminist when they have made a commitment to challenging sexist double standards wherever and whenever they arise. 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