--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...as a child, I was an avid reader. And…" description: "\"“...as a child, I was an avid reader. And despite reading hundreds of books about straight people, I did not grow up to embrace the heterosexual lifest..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/leslea-newman-86500_books_as-a-child-i-was-an-avid-reader-and-desp_2212989.jpg" --- # ...as a child, I was an avid reader. And despite reading… ![“...as a child, I was an avid reader. And despite reading hundreds of books about straight people, I did not grow up to embrace the heterosexual lifestyle. Similarly, someone who is heterosexual is not going to turn gay from reading a book that features a child being raised by two moms.” quote by Lesléa Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/leslea-newman-86500_books_as-a-child-i-was-an-avid-reader-and-desp_2212989.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/leslea-newman-86500_books_as-a-child-i-was-an-avid-reader-and-desp_2212989.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/leslea-newman-86500_books_as-a-child-i-was-an-avid-reader-and-desp_2212989.jpg) > ““...as a child, I was an avid reader. And despite reading hundreds of books about straight people, I did not grow up to embrace the heterosexual lifestyle. Similarly, someone who is heterosexual is not going to turn gay from reading a book that features a child being raised by two moms.”” Lesléa Newman ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading diverse stories does not change sexual orientation; identity is innate, not learned from books. **In simple terms:** Sexual orientation isn’t chosen by reading. Key Takeaway Respect identity. Themes identity sexuality representation Mood thoughtful analytical Type social educational When to use this quote - family discussions - school curricula - media analysis Key Concepts social conditioning personal identity media influence Questions to Reflect On - How does representation affect self‑esteem? - Can literature foster empathy? A Different Perspective Some argue exposure can influence self‑acceptance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Heterosexual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heterosexual/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Reading A Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-a-book/) ## Related quotes > [I think camp is a really fascinating thing, and it's hard to define and hard to apply consciously. It's almost something you take from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-haynes/i-think-camp-is-a-really-fascinating-thing-and-it-s-hard-to-define/) [Todd Haynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-haynes/) > [Once you're heterosexual and comfortable with that, you don't need to take out an announcement every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bernhard/once-you-re-heterosexual-and-comfortable-with-that-you-don-t-need-to/) [Sandra Bernhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bernhard/) > [“If heterosexual people can get married then gay and lesbian people can get married too”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-martin/if-heterosexual-people-can-get-married-then-gay-and-lesbian-people/) [Paul Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-martin/) > [People say, 'When did you decide you were gay?' and you think, 'When did you decide you were heterosexual?' It's not a decision: it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandi-toksvig/people-say-when-did-you-decide-you-were-gay-and-you-think-when-did/) [Sandi Toksvig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandi-toksvig/) > [“Quite how a heterosexual couple hiring a female cleaner ends up as a betrayal of feminism isn't terribly clear- unless you believe running a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/quite-how-a-heterosexual-couple-hiring-a-female-cleaner-ends-up-as-a/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [Regardless of whether you're in a gay or heterosexual relationship, you're going to go through your ups and downs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-carrera/regardless-of-whether-you-re-in-a-gay-or-heterosexual-relationship/) [Carmen Carrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-carrera/) > [I am the heterosexual Truman Capote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-epstein/i-am-the-heterosexual-truman-capote/) [Joseph Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-epstein/) > [“He’s like the most dangerous species of American there is: heterosexual white male who didn’t get what he wanted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/he-s-like-the-most-dangerous-species-of-american-there-is/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [I think when you fall in love, whether you're heterosexual, transgender, gay, lesbian, whatever, straight, you feel like it's happening to you for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-think-when-you-fall-in-love-whether-you-re-heterosexual-transgender/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Do You Put I'm Heterosexual On Your Resume'? So If You're Homosexual Why Is It So Important ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquez-brown/do-you-put-i-m-heterosexual-on-your-resume-so-if-you-re-homosexual/) [Marquez Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquez-brown/) > [Gay men should not adopt the sophomoric model of heterosexual dating; gay men should always have sex first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rechy/gay-men-should-not-adopt-the-sophomoric-model-of-heterosexual-dating/) [John Rechy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rechy/) > [Heterosexual marriage is the heart of our civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/heterosexual-marriage-is-the-heart-of-our-civilization/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [“heterosexual male who works in this building. Much to the chagrin of the members”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-siegel/heterosexual-male-who-works-in-this-building-much-to-the-chagrin-of/) [Sheldon Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-siegel/) > [being homosexual doesn't determine a man's whole character any more than being heterosexual does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/being-homosexual-doesn-t-determine-a-man-s-whole-character-any-more/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [Heterosexual intercourse is the pure, formalized expression of contempt for women's bodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-dworkin/heterosexual-intercourse-is-the-pure-formalized-expression-of/) [Andrea Dworkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-dworkin/) ## More by Lesléa Newman > [When I finally realized that I didn't want to be a butch, I wanted to sleep with a butch, a whole new world opened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslea-newman/when-i-finally-realized-that-i-didn-t-want-to-be-a-butch-i-wanted-to/) Leslea Newman > [The most important thing about a family is that all the people in it love each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslea-newman/the-most-important-thing-about-a-family-is-that-all-the-people-in-it/) Leslea Newman Explore all 3 Lesléa Newman quotes ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...as a child, I was an avid reader. And despite reading hundreds of books about straight people, I did not grow up to embrace the heterosexual lifestyle. 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