--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wanted to create a book that was…" description: "\"I wanted to create a book that was unafraid of black bodies, yet super interested in thinking about the relationship of love to body and sexuality with..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/kiese-laymon-23232_black_i-wanted-to-create-a-book-that-was-unafr_2131741.jpg" --- # I wanted to create a book that was unafraid of black… ![“I wanted to create a book that was unafraid of black bodies, yet super interested in thinking about the relationship of love to body and sexuality without relying on tired understandings of "gay" "bi" or "straight."” quote by Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/kiese-laymon-23232_black_i-wanted-to-create-a-book-that-was-unafr_2131741.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/kiese-laymon-23232_black_i-wanted-to-create-a-book-that-was-unafr_2131741.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/kiese-laymon-23232_black_i-wanted-to-create-a-book-that-was-unafr_2131741.jpg) > “I wanted to create a book that was unafraid of black bodies, yet super interested in thinking about the relationship of love to body and sexuality without relying on tired understandings of "gay" "bi" or "straight."” [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author desires a book that explores love, body, and sexuality beyond conventional labels, seeking fearless, nuanced representation of Black bodies. **In simple terms:** A book exploring love and sexuality beyond labels. Key Takeaway Write boldly about love and identity. Themes identity love sexuality representation race Mood thoughtful provocative Type literary activist When to use this quote - literary creation - cultural discourse - educational workshops Key Concepts intersectionality body politics queer theory Questions to Reflect On - How can literature reshape perceptions of love? - What barriers exist in discussing Black sexuality? A Different Perspective Risk of alienating readers unfamiliar with nuanced perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bi Straight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bi-straight-925603/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Body Sexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body-sexuality-3998177/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Interested Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interested-thinking-503128/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Sexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexuality/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-relationship-849321/) [Tired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tired/) [Unafraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unafraid/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Understandings Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understandings-gay-4396263/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) ## Related quotes > [Btw just to clear it up I'm not lesbian or bi I'm straight and like guys me and Vanessa are just best friends ok...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berta/btw-just-to-clear-it-up-i-m-not-lesbian-or-bi-i-m-straight-and-like/) [Berta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berta/) > [Age is just a number. Gender is just a body. Sexuality is just a label. Distance is just miles. Race is just a color.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/age-is-just-a-number-gender-is-just-a-body-sexuality-is-just-a-label/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [It is not sexuality which haunts society but society which haunts the body’s sexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-not-sexuality-which-haunts-society-but-society-which-haunts-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The day you were born, the world had a choice about what to teach you about your body. It could have taught you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-nagoski/the-day-you-were-born-the-world-had-a-choice-about-what-to-teach-you/) [Emily Nagoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-nagoski/) > [“Ooh, similar political opinions! How hot was that? To Gwen's way of thinking, this relationship was sounding about as interesting as fettuccine without Alfredo.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-cunningham/ooh-similar-political-opinions-how-hot-was-that-to-gwen-s-way-of/) [Elaine Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-cunningham/) > [If were always thinking, were never in a relationship with reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/if-were-always-thinking-were-never-in-a-relationship-with-reality/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [There is a big difference between thinking: I'm in a relationship and something's wrong. Therefore something must be wrong with the relationship. and thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/there-is-a-big-difference-between-thinking-i-m-in-a-relationship-and/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [I feel like I've been thinking about my relationship to gender at least since I was about five.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-d-arcy/i-feel-like-i-ve-been-thinking-about-my-relationship-to-gender-at/) [Emma D'Arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-d-arcy/) > [I have always been very interested in thinking deeply about things. I do this a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/griz/i-have-always-been-very-interested-in-thinking-deeply-about-things-i/) [GRiZ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/griz/) > [When I got into the second half of 'Dragon Ball,' I had already become more interested in thinking up the story then in drawing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akira-toriyama/when-i-got-into-the-second-half-of-dragon-ball-i-had-already-become/) [Akira Toriyama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akira-toriyama/) > [I'm not really interested in thinking about marriage or kids at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-keibler/i-m-not-really-interested-in-thinking-about-marriage-or-kids-at-all/) [Stacy Keibler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-keibler/) > [I have three boys. And I wanted to make sure it connected with them and then those guys who grew up like me, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/i-have-three-boys-and-i-wanted-to-make-sure-it-connected-with-them/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) > [“It's so embarrassing to think that someone is actually interested in what you're thinking. And in that regard, it's almost unbelievable that autobiographies are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oddn-eir/it-s-so-embarrassing-to-think-that-someone-is-actually-interested-in/) [Oddný Eir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oddn-eir/) > [The camera is interested in what you are thinking as opposed to just what you are doing or saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/the-camera-is-interested-in-what-you-are-thinking-as-opposed-to-just/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) > [I'm interested in thinking about how are we contributing to the culture, what we can write that might help us deepen the culture, make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-hawthorne-deming/i-m-interested-in-thinking-about-how-are-we-contributing-to-the/) [Alison Hawthorne Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-hawthorne-deming/) ## More by Kiese Laymon > [I allude to Back to the Future in the 1985 story to let folks know it was an inspiration and because it literally was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-allude-to-back-to-the-future-in-the-1985-story-to-let-folks-know-it/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) > [“I lie in a bathtub of cold water, still sweating and singing love songs to myself. I put the gun to my head and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-lie-in-a-bathtub-of-cold-water-still-sweating-and-singing-love/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) > [I'm a black writer from Mississippi. That's what I most consider myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-m-a-black-writer-from-mississippi-that-s-what-i-most-consider-myself/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) > [In essay writing, I'm trying to push the form of expository writing. I'm trying to remember, trying to reckon, trying to find connections with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/in-essay-writing-i-m-trying-to-push-the-form-of-expository-writing-i/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) > [I wish every American explored the importance of novel writing, identity, honesty, character and place in fresh-ass ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-wish-every-american-explored-the-importance-of-novel-writing/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) > [“I swear that white folks need to just shut the hell up sometimes. Y'all make it hard for everybody.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-swear-that-white-folks-need-to-just-shut-the-hell-up-sometimes-y/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) > [Long Division has a lot of Afrosurrealist impulses. I think the book was more Afrofuturist when it was like 700 pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/long-division-has-a-lot-of-afrosurrealist-impulses-i-think-the-book/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) > [“Y'all taught me that unacknowledged scars accumulated in battles won often hurt more than battles lost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/y-all-taught-me-that-unacknowledged-scars-accumulated-in-battles-won/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) > [First of all, the novel should be a critique of the novels that have come before it in a language that broadens the audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/first-of-all-the-novel-should-be-a-critique-of-the-novels-that-have/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) > [I'm also, than anything else, a teacher and a student. And without the four hours, I'm pretty monsterish. For real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-m-also-than-anything-else-a-teacher-and-a-student-and-without-the/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) > [I'm an obsessive writer who needs and loves revision. Writing helps me learn and helps me teach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-m-an-obsessive-writer-who-needs-and-loves-revision-writing-helps-me/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) > [I'm accountable - this sounds emo - to black American writing, Southern writing, Southern black American writing, American writing and my people. That's kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-m-accountable-this-sounds-emo-to-black-american-writing-southern/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) > [I'm not good enough as a person and definitely not good enough as a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-m-not-good-enough-as-a-person-and-definitely-not-good-enough-as-a/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) > [“I think of my grandma and remember that old feeling of being so in love that nothing matters except seeing and being seen by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-think-of-my-grandma-and-remember-that-old-feeling-of-being-so-in/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) > [I'm interested in how the confessional is so abrasively critiqued today. I'm not really comfortable with simply confessing but I do think "confessing" is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-m-interested-in-how-the-confessional-is-so-abrasively-critiqued/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) [Explore all 26 Kiese Laymon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wanted to create a book that was unafraid of black bodies, yet super interested in thinking about the relationship of love to body and sexuality without relying on tired understandings of \"gay\" \"bi\" or \"straight.\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kiese Laymon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-wanted-to-create-a-book-that-was-unafraid-of-black-bodies-yet-super/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Black" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-wanted-to-create-a-book-that-was-unafraid-of-black-bodies-yet-super/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/kiese-laymon-23232_black_i-wanted-to-create-a-book-that-was-unafr_2131741.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/kiese-laymon-23232_black_i-wanted-to-create-a-book-that-was-unafr_2131741.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e2/kiese-laymon-23232_black_i-wanted-to-create-a-book-that-was-unafr_2131741.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I wanted to create a book that was unafraid of black bodies, yet super interested in thinking about the…” — Kiese Laymon", "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": "Kiese Laymon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I wanted to create a book...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-wanted-to-create-a-book-that-was-unafraid-of-black-bodies-yet-super/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-wanted-to-create-a-book-that-was-unafraid-of-black-bodies-yet-super/#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 } } ] } ```