--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Call me old-fashioned, but I thought the…" description: "\"Call me old-fashioned, but I thought the one battle we feminists won fair and square was to convince at least those left of centre that gender roles ar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f7/julie-bindel-59081_battle_call-me-old-fashioned-but-i-thought-the_355398.png" --- # Call me old-fashioned, but I thought the one battle we… ![“Call me old-fashioned, but I thought the one battle we feminists won fair and square was to convince at least those left of centre that gender roles are made up. They are not real. We play at them. We develop traditional masculine or feminine traits by being indoctrinated, not because we are…” quote by Julie Bindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f7/julie-bindel-59081_battle_call-me-old-fashioned-but-i-thought-the_355398.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f7/julie-bindel-59081_battle_call-me-old-fashioned-but-i-thought-the_355398.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f7/julie-bindel-59081_battle_call-me-old-fashioned-but-i-thought-the_355398.png) > “Call me old-fashioned, but I thought the one battle we feminists won fair and square was to convince at least those left of centre that gender roles are made up. They are not real. We play at them. We develop traditional masculine or feminine traits by being indoctrinated, not because we are biologically programmed to behave in those ways.” [Julie Bindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-bindel/) ## 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 argues that gender roles are socially constructed, not biologically predetermined, and that feminists have succeeded in convincing many left‑leaning people of this view. **In simple terms:** Gender roles are made up, not natural. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge socially imposed gender expectations. Themes gender social construction feminism Mood reflective critical Type analytical social commentary When to use this quote - education - policy making - media representation - personal relationships Key Concepts social theory identity formation cultural norms Questions to Reflect On - How do you distinguish cultural expectations from innate preferences? - What impact does this view have on gender equality efforts? A Different Perspective Some argue biological differences still influence behavior, complicating the claim. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Battle Feminists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle-feminists-3274467/) [Behave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behave/) [Call me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/call-me/) [Centre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/centre/) [Convince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convince/) [Fairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairs/) [Feminine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminine/) [Feminine Traits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminine-traits-3274468/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist/) [Feminists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminists/) [Gender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender/) [Gender roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender-roles/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Masculine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masculine/) [Old fashioned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-fashioned/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles/) [Squares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/squares/) [Traditional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traditional/) [Traits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traits/) [Traits Indoctrinated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traits-indoctrinated-3274469/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Apple embodies a lot of what have been defined as feminine traits: an emphasis on intuitive design, intellect, a strong sense of creativity, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/apple-embodies-a-lot-of-what-have-been-defined-as-feminine-traits-an/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [If you list the qualities that we consider feminine, they are patience, understanding, empathy, supportiveness, a desire to nurture. Our culture tells us those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/if-you-list-the-qualities-that-we-consider-feminine-they-are-patience/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [Feminine traits are called weaknesses. People joke about them; fools ridicule them; but reasonable persons see very well that those traits are just the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/feminine-traits-are-called-weaknesses-people-joke-about-them-fools/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [I really, really do believe that the future of being successful in work is going to be about embracing all of those wonderful things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-portas/i-really-really-do-believe-that-the-future-of-being-successful-in/) [Mary Portas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-portas/) > [If you consider that the gender roles are just political, then what you come to see is that the full circle of human qualities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/if-you-consider-that-the-gender-roles-are-just-political-then-what/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“I think it is the masculine energy or man’s subtle, not overt, energetic influence that’s responsible for building a solid sensual feminine identity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebo-grand/i-think-it-is-the-masculine-energy-or-man-s-subtle-not-overt/) [Lebo Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebo-grand/) > [“I think it is a man’s subtle, not overt, energetic influence that’s responsible for building a solid sensual feminine identity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebo-grand/i-think-it-is-a-man-s-subtle-not-overt-energetic-influence-that-s/) [Lebo Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebo-grand/) > [When the gender role starts to descend, boys get into the masculine box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/when-the-gender-role-starts-to-descend-boys-get-into-the-masculine-box/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“Understanding the shadow masculine or shadow feminine in oneself is crucial not only for enhancing one ’s own wholeness but for championing justice between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-baker/understanding-the-shadow-masculine-or-shadow-feminine-in-oneself-is/) [Carolyn Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-baker/) > [I would put all the efforts to humanize the "masculine" and "feminine" gender roles that are the beginning of a false human hierarchy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-would-put-all-the-efforts-to-humanize-the-masculine-and-feminine/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Men have been adjudicating on what women are, and how they should behave, for millennia through the institutions of social control such as religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-jeffreys/men-have-been-adjudicating-on-what-women-are-and-how-they-should/) [Sheila Jeffreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-jeffreys/) > [Great women scholars like Jane Harrison and Gisela Richter were produced by the intellectual discipline of the masculine classical tradition, not the wishy-washy sentimentalism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/great-women-scholars-like-jane-harrison-and-gisela-richter-were/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [“Gender is a shell game. What is a man? Whatever a woman isn't. What is a woman? Whatever a man is not. Tap on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-alderman/gender-is-a-shell-game-what-is-a-man-whatever-a-woman-isn-t-what-is-a/) [Naomi Alderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-alderman/) > [“Though Jones had formerly believed himself in the very prime of youth and vigor, his first encounter with Lady Bellaston both vexed and puzzled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/though-jones-had-formerly-believed-himself-in-the-very-prime-of-youth/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [“Because human beings lived then in a world in which physical strength was the most important attribute for survival; the physically stronger person was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/because-human-beings-lived-then-in-a-world-in-which-physical-strength/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) ## More by Julie Bindel > [But then I thought, ‘I see transsexuals and they want healthy parts of their body removed in order to adjust to their idealized body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-bindel/but-then-i-thought-i-see-transsexuals-and-they-want-healthy-parts-of/) [Julie Bindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-bindel/) > [It is not enough to call yourself a feminist because you are a strong woman. Thatcher was an enemy to feminism, as is Nadine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-bindel/it-is-not-enough-to-call-yourself-a-feminist-because-you-are-a-strong/) [Julie Bindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-bindel/) > [I don’t have a problem with men disposing of their genitals, but it does not make them women, in the same way that shoving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-bindel/i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-men-disposing-of-their-genitals-but-it/) [Julie Bindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-bindel/) > [Gender Benders, Beware,” in which she opined that “I don’t have a problem with men disposing of their genitals, but it does not make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-bindel/gender-benders-beware-in-which-she-opined-that-i-don-t-have-a-problem/) [Julie Bindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-bindel/) [Explore all 5 Julie Bindel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-bindel/) ## More Battle quotes > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/) [Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/) > [Only great and general battles can produce great results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/only-great-and-general-battles-can-produce-great-results/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [I knew Jimmy Dean. He tested for 'Battle Cry'. Paul Newman tested for 'Battle Cry'. I did nine tests to finally get that role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-knew-jimmy-dean-he-tested-for-battle-cry-paul-newman-tested-for/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Love is a battle," said Marie-Claude, still smiling. "And I plan to go on fighting. To the end." Love is a battle?" said Franz.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/love-is-a-battle-said-marie-claude-still-smiling-and-i-plan-to-go-on/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [It's almost ironic sitting here watching stories about Norm's courageous 'battle' with cancer. He actually did a bit on stage about how stupid that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/it-s-almost-ironic-sitting-here-watching-stories-about-norm-s/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [“Other folk thought the Rage was simple bloodlust, a berserk savagery that neither knew nor cared what its target was, and so it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weber/other-folk-thought-the-rage-was-simple-bloodlust-a-berserk-savagery/) [David Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-weber/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [For many people it's Facebook, or sports on TV, whatever it is. I have my own demons that I battle. But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) [Browse all 4,526 Battle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Call me old-fashioned, but I thought the one battle we feminists won fair and square was to convince at least those left of centre that gender roles are made up. They are not real. We play at them. We develop traditional masculine or feminine traits by being indoctrinated, not because we are biologically programmed to behave in those ways.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julie Bindel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-bindel/call-me-old-fashioned-but-i-thought-the-one-battle-we-feminists-won/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Battle" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-bindel/call-me-old-fashioned-but-i-thought-the-one-battle-we-feminists-won/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f7/julie-bindel-59081_battle_call-me-old-fashioned-but-i-thought-the_355398.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f7/julie-bindel-59081_battle_call-me-old-fashioned-but-i-thought-the_355398.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f7/julie-bindel-59081_battle_call-me-old-fashioned-but-i-thought-the_355398.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Call me old-fashioned, but I thought the one battle we feminists won fair and square was to convince at…” — Julie Bindel", "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": "Julie Bindel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-bindel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Call me old-fashioned, but I thought...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-bindel/call-me-old-fashioned-but-i-thought-the-one-battle-we-feminists-won/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-bindel/call-me-old-fashioned-but-i-thought-the-one-battle-we-feminists-won/#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 } } ] } ```