--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's insulting when outsiders come in and…" description: "\"It's insulting when outsiders come in and tell a traumatized people what it will take for them to heal... People who have lived through a terrible conf..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/leymah-gbowee-16010_conflict_it-s-insulting-when-outsiders-come-in-an_3193941.jpg" --- # It's insulting when outsiders come in and tell a… ![“It's insulting when outsiders come in and tell a traumatized people what it will take for them to heal... People who have lived through a terrible conflict may be hungry and desperate, but they are not stupid. They often have very good ideas about how peace can evolve, and they need to be asked…” quote by Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/leymah-gbowee-16010_conflict_it-s-insulting-when-outsiders-come-in-an_3193941.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/leymah-gbowee-16010_conflict_it-s-insulting-when-outsiders-come-in-an_3193941.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/leymah-gbowee-16010_conflict_it-s-insulting-when-outsiders-come-in-an_3193941.jpg) > “It's insulting when outsiders come in and tell a traumatized people what it will take for them to heal... People who have lived through a terrible conflict may be hungry and desperate, but they are not stupid. They often have very good ideas about how peace can evolve, and they need to be asked. That includes women. Most especially women.” [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Outsiders often underestimate the agency of trauma survivors, especially women, by imposing external solutions instead of listening to their insights. **In simple terms:** Listen to survivors, especially women, for peace ideas. Key Takeaway Ask survivors what they need. Themes peacebuilding gender agency trauma participation Mood empathetic determined Type inspirational activist When to use this quote - post‑conflict reconstruction - community meetings - NGO program design - policy consultations Key Concepts empowerment local knowledge inclusive dialogue Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure survivor voices shape peace processes? - What barriers prevent women’s ideas from being heard? A Different Perspective External experts may lack context, risking ineffective solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Desperate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperate/) [Good ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-ideas/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Outsiders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outsiders/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“We are traumatized people. And nothing else has trauma’s power to deform the mind and heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/we-are-traumatized-people-and-nothing-else-has-trauma-s-power-to/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [Traumatized people chronically feel unsafe inside their bodies: The past is alive in the form of gnawing interior discomfort. 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You heal people by holding their hands between yours,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shan-sa/the-strength-of-the-snow-and-the-fire-has-turned-you-into-a-traveling/) [Shan Sa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shan-sa/) > [By healing the internal issues that we can heal as a people, our children don't have to suffer the same agony and pain that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-duke/by-healing-the-internal-issues-that-we-can-heal-as-a-people-our/) [Bill Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-duke/) > [People talk. People lie. People cheat. People change their ways. People do stupid things. People walk out of your life. People hurt you. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/people-talk-people-lie-people-cheat-people-change-their-ways-people/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [It is not possible to heal people and collect money. That gift is not for sale. When it is time to heal, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-b-joshua/it-is-not-possible-to-heal-people-and-collect-money-that-gift-is-not/) [T. B. Joshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-b-joshua/) > [“I would rather devote myself to what I always did - trying to heal people. That is my way of healing myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kavita-kane/i-would-rather-devote-myself-to-what-i-always-did-trying-to-heal/) [Kavita Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kavita-kane/) > [I used to always say teleportation for those times when you want to skip the commute, the traffic, the wait. Now, however, I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-max/i-used-to-always-say-teleportation-for-those-times-when-you-want-to/) [Ava Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-max/) ## More by Leymah Gbowee > [We have lived through fear all our lives, and when you have gone through a whole lot of fear, sometimes all you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/we-have-lived-through-fear-all-our-lives-and-when-you-have-gone/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > [Religion by itself was not meant to be a divisive tool. All of our religious teachings have similar rules, such as a commitment to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/religion-by-itself-was-not-meant-to-be-a-divisive-tool-all-of-our/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > [“The person who hurt you--who raped you or killed your family--is also here. If you are still angry at that person, if you haven't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/the-person-who-hurt-you-who-raped-you-or-killed-your-family-is-also/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > [There is something in this world that every individual can do. God has created all of us with something unique to contribute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/there-is-something-in-this-world-that-every-individual-can-do-god-has/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > [I always tell people, anger is like liquid. It's fluid, it's like water. You put it in a container and it takes the shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/i-always-tell-people-anger-is-like-liquid-it-s-fluid-it-s-like-water/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > [Men are the ones who often juggle back and forth for power. It is the women who bring humanity to the table - an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/men-are-the-ones-who-often-juggle-back-and-forth-for-power-it-is-the/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > [You cannot say you've achieved equality until EVERYONE is equal and has equal opportunities!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/you-cannot-say-you-ve-achieved-equality-until-everyone-is-equal-and/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > [ We go into rural communities, and all we do - like has been done in this room \[at TED\] - is create the space.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/we-go-into-rural-communities-and-all-we-do-like-has-been-done-in-this/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > [We go into rural communities and all we do, like has been done in this room, is create the space. When these girls sit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/we-go-into-rural-communities-and-all-we-do-like-has-been-done-in-this-2/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > [The world is waiting to hear from you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/the-world-is-waiting-to-hear-from-you/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > [Leadership is standing with your people. People say you have to live to fight another day, but sometimes you have to show you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/leadership-is-standing-with-your-people-people-say-you-have-to-live/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > [Don't stop, echoes the older Liberian lady's voice. Don't ever stop. My answer to her: I never will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/don-t-stop-echoes-the-older-liberian-lady-s-voice-don-t-ever-stop-my/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > [“Most of the institutions that come in to offer help after disaster don't have the resources to provide concrete help. . . . Donor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/most-of-the-institutions-that-come-in-to-offer-help-after-disaster/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > ['I wish for a better life. I wish for food for my children. I wish that sexual abuse and exploitation in schools would stop.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/i-wish-for-a-better-life-i-wish-for-food-for-my-children-i-wish-that/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > [Women are the ones that bear the greatest burden. We are also the ones who nurture societies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/women-are-the-ones-that-bear-the-greatest-burden-we-are-also-the-ones/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) [Explore all 41 Leymah Gbowee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) ## More Conflict quotes > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [There is a conflict in the Middle East between two entities, and they're both right, each in their own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reuven-rivlin/there-is-a-conflict-in-the-middle-east-between-two-entities-and-they/) [Reuven Rivlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reuven-rivlin/) > [Conflict isn't negative, it just is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/conflict-isn-t-negative-it-just-is/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [I have lived in countries that were coming out of conflict: Ireland, South Africa, the Czech republic. People there are overflowing with energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-have-lived-in-countries-that-were-coming-out-of-conflict-ireland/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Africa, being the major target of colonial plunder, therefore becomes a major source of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/africa-being-the-major-target-of-colonial-plunder-therefore-becomes-a/) [Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/) > [All drama is conflict. Without conflict, there is no action. Without action, there is no character. Without character, there is no story. And without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd-field/all-drama-is-conflict-without-conflict-there-is-no-action-without/) [Syd Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd-field/) > [The irrepressible conflict propounded by abolitionism has produced now its legitimate fruits - disunion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-irrepressible-conflict-propounded-by-abolitionism-has-produced/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“These are all good things, I said. But no one knows where your country is or who you are. You don't have a familiar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/these-are-all-good-things-i-said-but-no-one-knows-where-your-country/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [I understand the formula that producers hire directors and directors are hired to direct and actors are hired to act. I don't have any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-trejo/i-understand-the-formula-that-producers-hire-directors-and-directors/) [Danny Trejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-trejo/) > [“While there is battle and hatred men have eyes for nothing save the fact that the enemy is the cause of all the troubles;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-butterfield/while-there-is-battle-and-hatred-men-have-eyes-for-nothing-save-the/) [Herbert Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-butterfield/) > [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [All men have an instinct for conflict: at least, all healthy men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/all-men-have-an-instinct-for-conflict-at-least-all-healthy-men/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [I didnt like the Survivor shows because of the mean-spirited aspect, and women certainly were part of whatever conflict they would create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-lawrence/i-didnt-like-the-survivor-shows-because-of-the-mean-spirited-aspect/) [Sharon Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-lawrence/) > [“How we traverse the space between us when conflict arises has a profound effect on the health and longevity of our relationships.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/how-we-traverse-the-space-between-us-when-conflict-arises-has-a/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) [Browse all 3,969 Conflict quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's insulting when outsiders come in and tell a traumatized people what it will take for them to heal... 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