--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My struggle has allowed me to transcend…" description: "\"My struggle has allowed me to transcend that sense of shame and stigma identified with my being a Black gay man. Having come through the fire, they can..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61e/marlon-riggs-48020_black_my-struggle-has-allowed-me-to-transcend_2643524.jpg" --- # My struggle has allowed me to transcend that sense of… ![“My struggle has allowed me to transcend that sense of shame and stigma identified with my being a Black gay man. Having come through the fire, they can't touch me.” quote by Marlon Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61e/marlon-riggs-48020_black_my-struggle-has-allowed-me-to-transcend_2643524.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61e/marlon-riggs-48020_black_my-struggle-has-allowed-me-to-transcend_2643524.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61e/marlon-riggs-48020_black_my-struggle-has-allowed-me-to-transcend_2643524.jpg) > “My struggle has allowed me to transcend that sense of shame and stigma identified with my being a Black gay man. Having come through the fire, they can't touch me.” [Marlon Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-riggs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Overcoming stigma, he finds empowerment through confronting adversity, emerging untouchable. **In simple terms:** Rise above shame, become stronger. Key Takeaway Transform pain into power. Themes empowerment identity LGBTQ+ race Mood hopeful defiant Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Activism - mental health - community building - public speaking Key Concepts Intersectionality resilience self‑acceptance Questions to Reflect On - How does personal triumph influence collective struggle? - What steps can others take to transcend stigma? A Different Perspective May overlook ongoing systemic oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-gay-318786/) [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Gay men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-men/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Identification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identification/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Lgbt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lgbt/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [My struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-struggle/) [Overcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming/) [Senses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/senses/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) [Shame Stigma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame-stigma-575877/) [Stigma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stigma/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Struggle Allowed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle-allowed-2289031/) [Touch me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/touch-me/) [Transcending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcending/) ## Related quotes > [Guilt is one side of a nasty triangle; the other two are shame and stigma. This grim coalition combines to inculpate women themselves of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/guilt-is-one-side-of-a-nasty-triangle-the-other-two-are-shame-and/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [“I began to understand how quickly I moved into fixing, helping and saving; often to soothe my own discomfort with someone else's pain...People are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-l-cosby/i-began-to-understand-how-quickly-i-moved-into-fixing-helping-and/) [N.L. Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-l-cosby/) > [Southern black gay and bi men are suffering from a self-esteem issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karamo-brown/southern-black-gay-and-bi-men-are-suffering-from-a-self-esteem-issue/) [Karamo Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karamo-brown/) > [The perspective that I come from when I sing, when I perform, is of who I am as a black gay man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/the-perspective-that-i-come-from-when-i-sing-when-i-perform-is-of-who/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-m-a-34-year-old-nba-center-i-m-black-and-i-m-gay/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [It's better to be black than gay because when you're black you don't have to tell your mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-better-to-be-black-than-gay-because-when-you-re-black-you-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I didn't always see someone that I could relate to, that would tell me that being Black and gay is okay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mnek/i-didn-t-always-see-someone-that-i-could-relate-to-that-would-tell-me/) [MNEK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mnek/) > [The black gay experience isn't one that is often told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ncuti-gatwa/the-black-gay-experience-isn-t-one-that-is-often-told/) [Ncuti Gatwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ncuti-gatwa/) > [I am a Black, gay, immigrant woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karine-jean-pierre/i-am-a-black-gay-immigrant-woman/) [Karine Jean-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karine-jean-pierre/) > [I'm black. I'm gay. I'm culturally Christian. I am a walking target on so many levels, and it is horrifying and a cross that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/i-m-black-i-m-gay-i-m-culturally-christian-i-am-a-walking-target-on/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [I'm a black, gay man, and I should be able to live in a world where I'm able to live in the complexity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-mckesson/i-m-a-black-gay-man-and-i-should-be-able-to-live-in-a-world-where-i-m/) [DeRay Mckesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-mckesson/) > [I'm black and I'm gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-m-black-and-i-m-gay/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [America wasn't interested in the roots of house music because it was too black, it was too gay, it was all these things, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-buxton/america-wasn-t-interested-in-the-roots-of-house-music-because-it-was/) [Felix Buxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-buxton/) > [From 1968 on, I was pretty much the black, gay SF writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/from-1968-on-i-was-pretty-much-the-black-gay-sf-writer/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [Black gay activists should try to build coalitions of people for the elimination of all injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-rustin/black-gay-activists-should-try-to-build-coalitions-of-people-for-the/) [Bayard Rustin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-rustin/) ## More by Marlon Riggs > [When nobody speaks your name, or even knows it, you, knowing it, must be the first to speak it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-riggs/when-nobody-speaks-your-name-or-even-knows-it-you-knowing-it-must-be/) [Marlon Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-riggs/) > [So much of my life has been about self-effacement, pretense, masquerading, concealment, and indirection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-riggs/so-much-of-my-life-has-been-about-self-effacement-pretense/) [Marlon Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-riggs/) > [Silence kills the soul; it diminishes its possibilities to rise and fly and explore. Silence withers what makes you human. The soul shrinks, until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-riggs/silence-kills-the-soul-it-diminishes-its-possibilities-to-rise-and/) [Marlon Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-riggs/) > [Black men loving black men is THE revolutionary act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-riggs/black-men-loving-black-men-is-the-revolutionary-act/) [Marlon Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-riggs/) > [Silence is my weapon, silence is my shield.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-riggs/silence-is-my-weapon-silence-is-my-shield/) [Marlon Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-riggs/) > [It is necessary to constantly remind ourselves that we are not an abomination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-riggs/it-is-necessary-to-constantly-remind-ourselves-that-we-are-not-an/) [Marlon Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-riggs/) > [As long as I have work then I'm not going to die, cause work is a living spirit in me - that which wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-riggs/as-long-as-i-have-work-then-i-m-not-going-to-die-cause-work-is-a/) [Marlon Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-riggs/) [Explore all 8 Marlon Riggs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-riggs/) ## 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": "My struggle has allowed me to transcend that sense of shame and stigma identified with my being a Black gay man. 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