--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never realized until lately that women…" description: "\"I never realized until lately that women were supposed to be the inferior sex.\" — Katharine Hepburn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/katharine-hepburn-2026_sex_i-never-realized-until-lately-that-women_1387587.jpg" --- # I never realized until lately that women were supposed to… ![“I never realized until lately that women were supposed to be the inferior sex.” quote by Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/katharine-hepburn-2026_sex_i-never-realized-until-lately-that-women_1387587.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/katharine-hepburn-2026_sex_i-never-realized-until-lately-that-women_1387587.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/katharine-hepburn-2026_sex_i-never-realized-until-lately-that-women_1387587.jpg) > “I never realized until lately that women were supposed to be the inferior sex.” [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She reflects on realizing that society has historically labeled women as inferior, highlighting internalized sexism. **In simple terms:** Women have been taught they’re inferior. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge internalized gender bias. Themes gender equality self‑awareness Mood thoughtful reflective Type personal social When to use this quote - workplace - education - family dynamics - media analysis Key Concepts feminism social conditioning Questions to Reflect On - In what ways have you internalized gender bias? - How can you support gender equality? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑seated beliefs can be difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Inferior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inferior/) [Inferior Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inferior-sex-551968/) [Lately Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lately-women-4826497/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) [Supposed Inferior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supposed-inferior-764812/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) [Women Supposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-supposed-275980/) ## Related quotes > [“I never realized until lately that women were supposed to be inferior.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-hepburn/i-never-realized-until-lately-that-women-were-supposed-to-be-inferior/) [Katherine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-hepburn/) > [“i just recently realized that women are supposed to be the inferior sex”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-hepburn/i-just-recently-realized-that-women-are-supposed-to-be-the-inferior/) [katherine hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-hepburn/) > [“Men are the inferior sex. 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Now we're supposed to build a career, build a home, be the supermum that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/in-the-1950s-at-least-less-was-expected-of-women-now-we-re-supposed/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [As women, we're always supposed to be catty, or too cute to dance. And it sucks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rico-nasty/as-women-we-re-always-supposed-to-be-catty-or-too-cute-to-dance-and/) [Rico Nasty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rico-nasty/) ## More by Katharine Hepburn > [I'm what is known as gradually disintegrating. I don't fear the next world, or anything. I don't fear hell, and I don't look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/i-m-what-is-known-as-gradually-disintegrating-i-don-t-fear-the-next/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [You give because you love and cannot help giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/you-give-because-you-love-and-cannot-help-giving/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [It's a bore - B-O-R-E - when you find you've begun to rot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/it-s-a-bore-b-o-r-e-when-you-find-you-ve-begun-to-rot/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Why slap them on the wrist with feather when you can belt them over the head with a sledgehammer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/why-slap-them-on-the-wrist-with-feather-when-you-can-belt-them-over/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Our Constitution was not intended to be used by ... any group to foist its personal religious beliefs on the rest of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/our-constitution-was-not-intended-to-be-used-by-any-group-to-foist/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [The only time I am ever miserable is when I do something just for the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/the-only-time-i-am-ever-miserable-is-when-i-do-something-just-for-the/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [When I started out, I didn't have any desire to be an actress or to learn how to act. 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I cant spit in your eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/life-is-full-of-censorship-i-cant-spit-in-your-eye/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [I could peel you like a pear and god himself would see the justice in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/i-could-peel-you-like-a-pear-and-god-himself-would-see-the-justice-in/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [It is the plain women who know about love; the beautiful women are too busy being fascinating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/it-is-the-plain-women-who-know-about-love-the-beautiful-women-are-too/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Acting is a nice childish profession - pretending you're someone else and, at the same time, selling yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/acting-is-a-nice-childish-profession-pretending-you-re-someone-else/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Who is Katharine Hepburn? It took me a long time to create that creature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/who-is-katharine-hepburn-it-took-me-a-long-time-to-create-that/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [“The country is like a great sponge—it finally absorbs you. Eventually you will get malaria or you will get dysentery and whatever you do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/the-country-is-like-a-great-sponge-it-finally-absorbs-you-eventually/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) [Explore all 190 Katharine Hepburn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) ## More Feminism quotes > [“But benevolent patriarchy is still patriarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/but-benevolent-patriarchy-is-still-patriarchy/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. 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The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/) [Yoram Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoram-wind/) [Browse all 15,705 Feminism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never realized until lately that women were supposed to be the inferior sex.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Katharine Hepburn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/i-never-realized-until-lately-that-women-were-supposed-to-be-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feminism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/i-never-realized-until-lately-that-women-were-supposed-to-be-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/katharine-hepburn-2026_sex_i-never-realized-until-lately-that-women_1387587.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/katharine-hepburn-2026_sex_i-never-realized-until-lately-that-women_1387587.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/katharine-hepburn-2026_sex_i-never-realized-until-lately-that-women_1387587.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I never realized until lately that women were supposed to be the inferior sex.” — Katharine Hepburn", "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": "Katharine Hepburn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I never realized until lately that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/i-never-realized-until-lately-that-women-were-supposed-to-be-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/i-never-realized-until-lately-that-women-were-supposed-to-be-the/#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 } } ] } ```