--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of course it is very limiting to be…" description: "\"Of course it is very limiting to be labeled a lesbian or queer writer. We live in a homophobic culture, and even people who aren't hateful per se assum..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/michelle-tea-16727_anything_of-course-it-is-very-limiting-to-be-labe_456644.png" --- # Of course it is very limiting to be labeled a lesbian or… ![“Of course it is very limiting to be labeled a lesbian or queer writer. We live in a homophobic culture, and even people who aren't hateful per se assume they won't get anything from a queer book.” quote by Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/michelle-tea-16727_anything_of-course-it-is-very-limiting-to-be-labe_456644.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/michelle-tea-16727_anything_of-course-it-is-very-limiting-to-be-labe_456644.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/michelle-tea-16727_anything_of-course-it-is-very-limiting-to-be-labe_456644.png) > “Of course it is very limiting to be labeled a lesbian or queer writer. We live in a homophobic culture, and even people who aren't hateful per se assume they won't get anything from a queer book.” [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement highlights how labeling writers by sexual orientation limits their perceived value in a homophobic culture, where even non-hostile assumptions can marginalize queer literature. **In simple terms:** Labels can restrict a writer's reach in a biased culture. Key Takeaway Challenge limiting labels. Themes identity literature social bias Mood defiant hopeful Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - publishing - marketing - author platforms - reader reception Key Concepts feminist theory queer studies Questions to Reflect On - How do labels affect your work? - Can queer narratives thrive despite bias? A Different Perspective Labels can also empower marginalized voices when reclaimed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) [Assume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assume/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Course](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/course/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Hateful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hateful/) [Homophobic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homophobic/) [Homophobic Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homophobic-culture-2160170/) [Labeled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labeled/) [Labeled Lesbian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labeled-lesbian-3974519/) [Lesbian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesbian/) [Lesbian Queer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesbian-queer-1327316/) [Limiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limiting/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Per](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/per/) [Queer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/queer/) [Queer Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/queer-writer-3634175/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) [Very](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Lots of my writing can be accurately called lesbian, but I myself am queer and date people of all genders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/lots-of-my-writing-can-be-accurately-called-lesbian-but-i-myself-am/) [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) > [I was a 24-year-old, Afro-Latino, gay kid struggling to fully come to terms with his sexual identity, and terrified to run as an openly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/i-was-a-24-year-old-afro-latino-gay-kid-struggling-to-fully-come-to/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [For me, as a trans writer, is the Philip Roth trajectory available to me? Could I be commenting on American stuff long enough that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torrey-peters/for-me-as-a-trans-writer-is-the-philip-roth-trajectory-available-to/) [Torrey Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torrey-peters/) > [It doesn't bother me when I'm labeled, but it's so... limiting. It's so boxy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-richard/it-doesn-t-bother-me-when-i-m-labeled-but-it-s-so-limiting-it-s-so/) [Dawn Richard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-richard/) > [I don't want to be labeled as a stunt junkie or a daredevil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-pastrana/i-don-t-want-to-be-labeled-as-a-stunt-junkie-or-a-daredevil/) [Travis Pastrana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-pastrana/) > [We are all people... don't label me as an LGBT rapper or a female rapper... I don't like to be labeled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-m-a/we-are-all-people-don-t-label-me-as-an-lgbt-rapper-or-a-female-rapper/) [Young M.A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-m-a/) > [I've been labeled all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-feldman/i-ve-been-labeled-all-my-life/) [Corey Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-feldman/) > [I've always been labeled... people think things are handed to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-gronkowski/i-ve-always-been-labeled-people-think-things-are-handed-to-me/) [Glenn Gronkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-gronkowski/) > [“It’s labeled ‘Top Secret Codes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-gibbs/it-s-labeled-top-secret-codes/) [Stuart Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-gibbs/) > [There are any number of very hard working people in Hollywood who deserve recognition. Mostly its the artisans and crafts persons - the 'below…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/there-are-any-number-of-very-hard-working-people-in-hollywood-who/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [I hate being labeled, you don't know me so stop judging me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-being-labeled-you-don-t-know-me-so-stop-judging-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've never, ever labeled myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mika/i-ve-never-ever-labeled-myself/) [Mika](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mika/) > [The will to label will always prevail over what's being labeled, usually at the expense of either truth or understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-rice/the-will-to-label-will-always-prevail-over-what-s-being-labeled/) [Boyd Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-rice/) > [I hate being labeled, I hate people who think they know me when they don't even know the half.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-being-labeled-i-hate-people-who-think-they-know-me-when-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes labeling is only useful, like with OCD. Once you're labeled you can be treated. On other occasions labeling leads to tyranny, like with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/sometimes-labeling-is-only-useful-like-with-ocd-once-you-re-labeled/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) ## More by Michelle Tea > [“Andrea worked to harden herself to the onslaught of feelings. The problem with feelings was, first you had one, which was generally bad enough.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/andrea-worked-to-harden-herself-to-the-onslaught-of-feelings-the/) [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) > [I will meet you in the dirtiest city you can dream of. We will drink cocktails so sweet they pucker our cheeks, as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/i-will-meet-you-in-the-dirtiest-city-you-can-dream-of-we-will-drink/) [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) > [I have had the occasion of coming into money and spending some recklessly, like on a purse. At this point, shopping and the spending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/i-have-had-the-occasion-of-coming-into-money-and-spending-some/) [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) > [How do you make a girl know she's beautiful? What is the system for that, what do you show her, how do you give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/how-do-you-make-a-girl-know-she-s-beautiful-what-is-the-system-for/) [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) > [“She wouldn't have sex with me in public bathrooms. Little things like this haunted me. I was only twenty-five.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/she-wouldn-t-have-sex-with-me-in-public-bathrooms-little-things-like/) [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) > [I think it's my job to make any question interesting by coming up with a jazzy answer, otherwise I hardly deserve the spotlight, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/i-think-it-s-my-job-to-make-any-question-interesting-by-coming-up/) [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) > [You try to be good, to be good and loving and nice and not hard, not tough, a sweet nice girl, not ugly, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/you-try-to-be-good-to-be-good-and-loving-and-nice-and-not-hard-not/) [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) > [“She didn’t know that my heart was a sandstorm waiting to open her skin in a desert of cuts. She didn’t know the animal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/she-didn-t-know-that-my-heart-was-a-sandstorm-waiting-to-open-her/) [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) > [If I talk about the bad old days of crystal meth for too long, I start getting like, "Oh...speed...that was delicious..." But in general,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/if-i-talk-about-the-bad-old-days-of-crystal-meth-for-too-long-i-start/) [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) > [I'm never not going to be interested in young girls who are struggling in poor places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/i-m-never-not-going-to-be-interested-in-young-girls-who-are/) [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) > [. I used to advise writers to just write their books and it will find a home, and suddenly that didn't seem as certain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/i-used-to-advise-writers-to-just-write-their-books-and-it-will-find-a/) [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) > [“We entered the cool cave of the practice space with all the long-haired, goateed boys stoned on clouds of pot and playing with power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/we-entered-the-cool-cave-of-the-practice-space-with-all-the-long/) [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) > [“It was a huge obsession taking over my life, every injustice leading logically to a related and worse injustice until I was standing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/it-was-a-huge-obsession-taking-over-my-life-every-injustice-leading/) [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) > [“You would have to forget everything that came out of her mouth in order to later enjoy it on your cock.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/you-would-have-to-forget-everything-that-came-out-of-her-mouth-in/) [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) > [Gwynn, she was always talking about wanting to be drunk and honestly I did want to encourage that, I wanted to go to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/gwynn-she-was-always-talking-about-wanting-to-be-drunk-and-honestly-i/) [Michelle Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) [Explore all 39 Michelle Tea quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/) ## More Anything quotes > [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. I've never even thought about having another job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/i-guess-i-ve-never-really-wanted-to-be-anything-else-i-ve-never-even/) [Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/) > [I would give anything to be able to kick a ball with my son or read the kids a bedtime story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/i-would-give-anything-to-be-able-to-kick-a-ball-with-my-son-or-read/) [Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/) > [Comfort food is really anything you want at that time. That said, I really love Naple-style pizza.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/comfort-food-is-really-anything-you-want-at-that-time-that-said-i/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/) [Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/) > [When it really comes down to it, the job you do is more important and is more representative of who you are than your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/when-it-really-comes-down-to-it-the-job-you-do-is-more-important-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [I never did drama at school. I did it for one term, when it was compulsory, and I hated it. Tennis was the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-mitchell/i-never-did-drama-at-school-i-did-it-for-one-term-when-it-was/) [Luke Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-mitchell/) > [We live in such a special time when literally anything we can think of is possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/we-live-in-such-a-special-time-when-literally-anything-we-can-think/) [Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/) > [You know, I'm from Baltimore; nobody has anything. When somebody had talent, I was hiring my uncle, my cousin, you know? Getting people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/you-know-i-m-from-baltimore-nobody-has-anything-when-somebody-had/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [I said to my agent, 'I want short, sharp, well-paid jobs because I haven't got time for anything else.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-whitelaw/i-said-to-my-agent-i-want-short-sharp-well-paid-jobs-because-i-haven/) [Billie Whitelaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-whitelaw/) > [I think anything that anyone writes thats any good is going to have a lot of autobiography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/i-think-anything-that-anyone-writes-thats-any-good-is-going-to-have-a/) [Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/) > [If the Bible is correct, and the Earth is only 6,000 years old, that means there were no dinosaurs, and museum curators have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-shock/if-the-bible-is-correct-and-the-earth-is-only-6-000-years-old-that/) [Ron Shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-shock/) > [Don't do anything drastic like getting your eyebrows tattooed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/don-t-do-anything-drastic-like-getting-your-eyebrows-tattooed/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [Whenever you define family as anything other than a man and a woman married together, you have just introduced an ethical nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/whenever-you-define-family-as-anything-other-than-a-man-and-a-woman/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) > [No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/) [Browse all 9,437 Anything quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Of course it is very limiting to be labeled a lesbian or queer writer. We live in a homophobic culture, and even people who aren't hateful per se assume they won't get anything from a queer book.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michelle Tea" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/of-course-it-is-very-limiting-to-be-labeled-a-lesbian-or-queer-writer/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anything" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/of-course-it-is-very-limiting-to-be-labeled-a-lesbian-or-queer-writer/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/michelle-tea-16727_anything_of-course-it-is-very-limiting-to-be-labe_456644.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/michelle-tea-16727_anything_of-course-it-is-very-limiting-to-be-labe_456644.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab0/michelle-tea-16727_anything_of-course-it-is-very-limiting-to-be-labe_456644.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Of course it is very limiting to be labeled a lesbian or queer writer. We live in a homophobic culture, and…” — Michelle Tea", "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": "Michelle Tea", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-tea/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Of course it is very limiting...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/of-course-it-is-very-limiting-to-be-labeled-a-lesbian-or-queer-writer/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-tea/of-course-it-is-very-limiting-to-be-labeled-a-lesbian-or-queer-writer/#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 } } ] } ```