--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: …gender is not sane. It's not sane to…" description: "\"…gender is not sane. It's not sane to call a rainbow black and white.\" — Kate Bornstein" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbf/kate-bornstein-11426_black_gender-is-not-sane-it-s-not-sane-to-call_1061004.jpg" --- # …gender is not sane. It's not sane to call a rainbow black… ![“…gender is not sane. It's not sane to call a rainbow black and white.” quote by Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbf/kate-bornstein-11426_black_gender-is-not-sane-it-s-not-sane-to-call_1061004.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbf/kate-bornstein-11426_black_gender-is-not-sane-it-s-not-sane-to-call_1061004.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbf/kate-bornstein-11426_black_gender-is-not-sane-it-s-not-sane-to-call_1061004.jpg) > “…gender is not sane. It's not sane to call a rainbow black and white.” [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Gender categories are limiting; binary labels fail to capture fluid identities. **In simple terms:** Binary gender concepts are restrictive. Key Takeaway Embrace gender fluidity and reject binary labels. Themes gender identity fluidity social norms Mood thoughtful progressive Type social educational When to use this quote - LGBTQ+ advocacy - inclusive policies - educational curricula - media representation Key Concepts non‑binary theory gender spectrum Questions to Reflect On - How can societies shift beyond binary gender? - What language respects fluid identities? A Different Perspective Binary thinking persists in many cultures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black and white](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-and-white/) [Gender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender/) [Rainbow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rainbow/) [Rainbows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rainbows/) ## Related quotes > [Wonder why? Heres why:I act immature to see peoples reactions but in fact I love acting like a kid so I wont forget the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/wonder-why-heres-why-i-act-immature-to-see-peoples-reactions-but-in/) [Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/) > [“After every storm, there is a rainbow. If you have eyes, you will find it. If you have wisdom, you will create it. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/after-every-storm-there-is-a-rainbow-if-you-have-eyes-you-will-find/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [When God puts a tear in your eye, its because He wants to put a rainbow in your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-god-puts-a-tear-in-your-eye-its-because-he-wants-to-put-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk of a rainbow nation - in a country that remains dichotomized between black and white. We must acknowledge that the rainbow, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-madikizela-mandela/we-talk-of-a-rainbow-nation-in-a-country-that-remains-dichotomized/) [Winnie Madikizela-Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-madikizela-mandela/) > [Give me the MOON and STARS above and I give you the the RAIN and SUN at the end of the rainbow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-poet-of-agent-times/give-me-the-moon-and-stars-above-and-i-give-you-the-the-rain-and-sun/) [The Poet Of Agent Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-poet-of-agent-times/) > [There was an awful rainbow once in heaven: We know her woof, her texture; she is given In the dull catalogue of common things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/there-was-an-awful-rainbow-once-in-heaven-we-know-her-woof-her/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [A rainbow was created with unique and different colors; together they standout as one whole beautiful thing. So are we.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katya-bertrand/a-rainbow-was-created-with-unique-and-different-colors-together-they/) Katya Bertrand > [It takes two loving hearts to form a successful relationship, just like a rainbow, it will need the rain and the sun to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chee-vai-tang/it-takes-two-loving-hearts-to-form-a-successful-relationship-just/) [Chee Vai Tang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chee-vai-tang/) > [What is Love? Listen! It is the rainbow that stands out, in all its glorious many-colored hues, illuminating and making glad again the dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/what-is-love-listen-it-is-the-rainbow-that-stands-out-in-all-its/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [“Rainbows are yesterday's storm...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nanette-l-avery/rainbows-are-yesterday-s-storm/) [Nanette L. Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nanette-l-avery/) > [Mostly we just add to the piles of rainbow glass that's been blown off the exteriors of the cany-colored buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/mostly-we-just-add-to-the-piles-of-rainbow-glass-that-s-been-blown/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [We will continue to chase rainbows unless we recognize that they are rainbows and there is no pot of gold at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/we-will-continue-to-chase-rainbows-unless-we-recognize-that-they-are/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [“I swear you must have a rainbow shooting out of your ass, you're so bright and shiny and wonderful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-rockland/i-swear-you-must-have-a-rainbow-shooting-out-of-your-ass-you-re-so/) [Kate Rockland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-rockland/) > [Since 'coming out,' I've marched in gay pride parades all around the world, I've filled my home full of rainbow tat and I've become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/since-coming-out-i-ve-marched-in-gay-pride-parades-all-around-the/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [“Anytime I see a rainbow, what comes into my mind is how skillful and talented someone was to create an ark that didn't leak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/anytime-i-see-a-rainbow-what-comes-into-my-mind-is-how-skillful-and/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) ## More by Kate Bornstein > [My own take on the word "transgender" is that it's an umbrella term for anyone who breaks any rules, laws, guidelines or protocol of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/my-own-take-on-the-word-transgender-is-that-it-s-an-umbrella-term-for/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) > [Is it a boy or a girl ?”. There is a great answer to that one going around : “We don’t know ; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/is-it-a-boy-or-a-girl-there-is-a-great-answer-to-that-one-going/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) > [“It doesn't really matter what a person decides to do, or how radically a person plays with gender. What matters, I think, is how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-a-person-decides-to-do-or-how-radically/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) > [We grew up creating this whole world view for ourselves because it's not there in the culture. What am I? And I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/we-grew-up-creating-this-whole-world-view-for-ourselves-because-it-s/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) > [Sex is f-king, everything else is gender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/sex-is-f-king-everything-else-is-gender/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) > [The transgender movement even divides itself up by gender, as many folks stick with their same trans-genders (female-to-male or male-to-female). Additionally, the movement gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/the-transgender-movement-even-divides-itself-up-by-gender-as-many/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) > [“When we talk about my gender as though it were a performance, we let the audience - with all their expectations, prejudices, and presumptions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/when-we-talk-about-my-gender-as-though-it-were-a-performance-we-let/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) > [“You can have great autonomy in the things you choose to learn and pursue on your own time. When you're learning things that interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/you-can-have-great-autonomy-in-the-things-you-choose-to-learn-and/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) > [Gender is used as a control mechanism that's just wrong. Gender is never anything to struggle with; gender is something to play with. Once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/gender-is-used-as-a-control-mechanism-that-s-just-wrong-gender-is/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) > [“We are entitled to our anger in response to this oppression: our anger is a message to ourselves that we need to get active…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/we-are-entitled-to-our-anger-in-response-to-this-oppression-our-anger/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) > [I know and know of more than a few MTF's (male-to-female trannies) who've developed strange cancers. Myself, I've got a nice little case of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/i-know-and-know-of-more-than-a-few-mtf-s-male-to-female-trannies-who/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) > [“There are more and more visibly weird and freaky people in the world these days, and it’s high time we stop carrying forward the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/there-are-more-and-more-visibly-weird-and-freaky-people-in-the-world/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) > [The current transgender movement is composed of a great number of factions, divided by those old favorites of class, race, age, language, region, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/the-current-transgender-movement-is-composed-of-a-great-number-of/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) > [When you're a Scientologist it's like the movie Goodfellas, where the gangsters hang out with only other gangsters. We only hung out with each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/when-you-re-a-scientologist-it-s-like-the-movie-goodfellas-where-the/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) > [“We just want to identify the “real” freaks, so we can feel closer to normal. In reality, not a single one of us is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/we-just-want-to-identify-the-real-freaks-so-we-can-feel-closer-to/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) [Explore all 60 Kate Bornstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "…gender is not sane. It's not sane to call a rainbow black and white.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kate Bornstein" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/gender-is-not-sane-it-s-not-sane-to-call-a-rainbow-black-and-white/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Black" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/gender-is-not-sane-it-s-not-sane-to-call-a-rainbow-black-and-white/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbf/kate-bornstein-11426_black_gender-is-not-sane-it-s-not-sane-to-call_1061004.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbf/kate-bornstein-11426_black_gender-is-not-sane-it-s-not-sane-to-call_1061004.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbf/kate-bornstein-11426_black_gender-is-not-sane-it-s-not-sane-to-call_1061004.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“…gender is not sane. It's not sane to call a rainbow black and white.” — Kate Bornstein", "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": "Kate Bornstein", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "…gender is not sane. It's not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/gender-is-not-sane-it-s-not-sane-to-call-a-rainbow-black-and-white/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/gender-is-not-sane-it-s-not-sane-to-call-a-rainbow-black-and-white/#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 } } ] } ```