--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They likely would not have been able to…" description: "\"“They likely would not have been able to be open about it. But the optimist in me likes to believe that the twenty-first century is not the first time ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/mackenzi-lee-8100_first-time_they-likely-would-not-have-been-able-to_2643058.jpg" --- # They likely would not have been able to be open about it… ![“They likely would not have been able to be open about it. But the optimist in me likes to believe that the twenty-first century is not the first time in history that queer people have been able to live full romantic and sexual lives with the people they love. And if that makes me anachronistic,” quote by Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/mackenzi-lee-8100_first-time_they-likely-would-not-have-been-able-to_2643058.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/mackenzi-lee-8100_first-time_they-likely-would-not-have-been-able-to_2643058.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/mackenzi-lee-8100_first-time_they-likely-would-not-have-been-able-to_2643058.jpg) > ““They likely would not have been able to be open about it. But the optimist in me likes to believe that the twenty-first century is not the first time in history that queer people have been able to live full romantic and sexual lives with the people they love. And if that makes me anachronistic,”” [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Queer people have historically lived full romantic lives; modern optimism may feel anachronistic. **In simple terms:** Queer love has long existed; modern optimism may feel anachronistic. Key Takeaway Recognize continuity of queer experiences across history. Themes history queer identity optimism Mood hopeful reflective Type historical inspirational When to use this quote - LGBTQ+ activism - educational curricula - personal storytelling Key Concepts Social progress historical narratives identity politics Questions to Reflect On - How does historical continuity shape present identity? - What challenges persist despite past freedoms? A Different Perspective Optimism may overlook ongoing struggles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Queer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/queer/) ## Related quotes > [We need a lot more visibility of queer people in public life. People gotta get used to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/we-need-a-lot-more-visibility-of-queer-people-in-public-life-people/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) > [All my friends were doing just dumb stuff that kids do, like making out with people at parties and starting to date... I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troye-sivan/all-my-friends-were-doing-just-dumb-stuff-that-kids-do-like-making/) [Troye Sivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troye-sivan/) > [It's important that queer people get visibility, particularly when they look, act, and speak in the way that they're comfortable with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-wylie/it-s-important-that-queer-people-get-visibility-particularly-when/) [Christopher Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-wylie/) > [For queer people, the personal is very political, just to talk about it in a public space. It's very political just to come out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/for-queer-people-the-personal-is-very-political-just-to-talk-about-it/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [I think I first learned about Stonewall in Queer Theatre class at the University of Pittsburgh. It made me mad that queer people out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alaska/i-think-i-first-learned-about-stonewall-in-queer-theatre-class-at-the/) [Alaska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alaska/) > [I'm determined to only work with women or queer people because it's always a straight dude at the soundboard. I just don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunx/i-m-determined-to-only-work-with-women-or-queer-people-because-it-s/) Hunx > [The radical power of 'queer' always came from its inclusivity. But that inclusivity offers a false promise of equality that does not translate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-wortham/the-radical-power-of-queer-always-came-from-its-inclusivity-but-that/) [Jenna Wortham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-wortham/) > [So many queer people come out constantly for the rest of their lives, ya know? To the people they work with, to people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olly-alexander/so-many-queer-people-come-out-constantly-for-the-rest-of-their-lives/) [Olly Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olly-alexander/) > [I think that's the place ideally we'd like to get to as well, as queer people, where you can just judge the music for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-princess/i-think-that-s-the-place-ideally-we-d-like-to-get-to-as-well-as-queer/) [King Princess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-princess/) > [I take it hard whenever anything happens that makes, I guess, queer people feel less safe and less welcome in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/i-take-it-hard-whenever-anything-happens-that-makes-i-guess-queer/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) > [We are traumatized by growing up in a world that doesn't really accept us. Obviously, we've made great leaps and bounds, but I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olly-alexander/we-are-traumatized-by-growing-up-in-a-world-that-doesn-t-really/) [Olly Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olly-alexander/) > [To see queer people keeping each other down makes me so sad because I've been around for a long time - I've seen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-visage/to-see-queer-people-keeping-each-other-down-makes-me-so-sad-because-i/) [Michelle Visage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-visage/) > [I do my best to surround myself with queer people. I don't go to straight bars and it's quite frankly because I don't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-the-drag-queen/i-do-my-best-to-surround-myself-with-queer-people-i-don-t-go-to/) [Bob the Drag Queen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-the-drag-queen/) > [“Queer people have had to actively make their culture and community and institutions, because the non-queer world is not going to do it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-liss/queer-people-have-had-to-actively-make-their-culture-and-community/) Sarah Liss > [Shows like 'Superstore' and certainly 'Pose' are leading the way and showing queer people of color in a much more complex, nuanced light that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nico-santos/shows-like-superstore-and-certainly-pose-are-leading-the-way-and/) [Nico Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nico-santos/) ## More by Mackenzi Lee > [“Because I want you to know,” she says, “that there is life after survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/because-i-want-you-to-know-she-says-that-there-is-life-after-survival/) [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) > [“So long as you don’t go falling in love with me.” I don’t know why I say it. Call it battlements around my helpless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/so-long-as-you-don-t-go-falling-in-love-with-me-i-don-t-know-why-i/) [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) > [“have a history of reacting poorly when shouted at,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/have-a-history-of-reacting-poorly-when-shouted-at/) [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) > [“brushes his mouth against the corner of mine, and Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, it takes every ounce of the not-inconsiderable restraint I’ve spent years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/brushes-his-mouth-against-the-corner-of-mine-and-jesus-mary-and/) [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) > [“Which is how I come to be running through the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, dressed only as Nature intended.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/which-is-how-i-come-to-be-running-through-the-gardens-of-the-palace/) [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) > [“Don’t drink too much.” “Could I get an absolute value on too much?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/don-t-drink-too-much-could-i-get-an-absolute-value-on-too-much/) [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) > [“Love may be a grand thing, but goddamn if it doesn't take up more than its fair share of space inside a man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/love-may-be-a-grand-thing-but-goddamn-if-it-doesn-t-take-up-more-than/) [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) > [“I wish I could be better for you." She looks over at me, and I duck my head, shame sinking its teeth in. "I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/i-wish-i-could-be-better-for-you-she-looks-over-at-me-and-i-duck-my/) [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) > [“It is impossible to explain how you can love someone so much that it’s difficult to be around him. And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/it-is-impossible-to-explain-how-you-can-love-someone-so-much-that-it/) [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) > [“I do not want to know things, I want to understand things. I want to answer every question ever posed me. I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/i-do-not-want-to-know-things-i-want-to-understand-things-i-want-to/) [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) > [“Perhaps fashion is just a reinforcement of a lady’s chastity, in hopes that the interested party may lose interest and abandon any deflowering attempts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/perhaps-fashion-is-just-a-reinforcement-of-a-lady-s-chastity-in-hopes/) [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) > [“I let out a shy laugh, flit my eyes down to the floor, then back to him through my lashes. His neck goes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/i-let-out-a-shy-laugh-flit-my-eyes-down-to-the-floor-then-back-to-him/) [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) > [“Yes, for education. An actual education, not finishing school—they’re going to squeeze me into corsets and bully me into silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/yes-for-education-an-actual-education-not-finishing-school-they-re/) [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) > [“Can’t seal up a conversation with a casual Oh, by the way, could you perhaps not touch me the way you always have because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/can-t-seal-up-a-conversation-with-a-casual-oh-by-the-way-could-you/) [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) > [“What do you want me to say? Yes, I’m ill. I’m an epileptic—that’s my lot. It isn’t easy and it isn’t very enjoyable but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/what-do-you-want-me-to-say-yes-i-m-ill-i-m-an-epileptic-that-s-my-lot/) [Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) [Explore all 83 Mackenzi Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/) ## More First time quotes > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [“I’m so stressed that a weird Olympic-style commentary starts up in my head. And here we have Zelah Green, the fourteen-year-old champion of rituals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-curtis/i-m-so-stressed-that-a-weird-olympic-style-commentary-starts-up-in-my/) Vanessa Curtis > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [“I’m waiting for you,” he murmured, smiling a slow, familiar grin that seemed to hint at a secret between them. And for the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/i-m-waiting-for-you-he-murmured-smiling-a-slow-familiar-grin-that/) [Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/) > [“Treat every natural beauty you met as if you see them for the first and last time!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/treat-every-natural-beauty-you-met-as-if-you-see-them-for-the-first/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“I won’t break your heart. For the first time in my life, I’ve found something worth fighting for, someone more important than me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelle-bliss/i-won-t-break-your-heart-for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-ve-found/) [Chelle Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelle-bliss/) > [Life is like a parachute jump: you have to get it right the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-is-like-a-parachute-jump-you-have-to-get-it-right-the-first-time/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [When my kids were in the school play for the first time, I decided I had to make the costumes from scratch and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-alexander/when-my-kids-were-in-the-school-play-for-the-first-time-i-decided-i/) [Sarah Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-alexander/) > [“I will run every mile, i will save every line, i will say i reached the top and i will fall back down standing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mennah-al-refaey/i-will-run-every-mile-i-will-save-every-line-i-will-say-i-reached-the/) Mennah al refaey > [“Or maybe your magic isn't that destructive after all. The rain of Doritos, the bed thing,this...Maybe it's just that you create too big, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/or-maybe-your-magic-isn-t-that-destructive-after-all-the-rain-of/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [I don't know why, but everybody thinks that I'm short. When they see me for the first time, women are always surprised to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/i-don-t-know-why-but-everybody-thinks-that-i-m-short-when-they-see-me/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [“I met Suffering on a quiet road, just as the sun was setting behind me. 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