--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't want to be labeled as either a…" description: "\"I don't want to be labeled as either a pansy or a heterosexual. Labeling is so self-limiting. We are what we do - not what we say we are.\" — Montgomery..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b66/montgomery-clift-30539_pansies_i-don-t-want-to-be-labeled-as-either-a-p_2002928.jpg" --- # I don't want to be labeled as either a pansy or a… ![“I don't want to be labeled as either a pansy or a heterosexual. Labeling is so self-limiting. We are what we do - not what we say we are.” quote by Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b66/montgomery-clift-30539_pansies_i-don-t-want-to-be-labeled-as-either-a-p_2002928.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b66/montgomery-clift-30539_pansies_i-don-t-want-to-be-labeled-as-either-a-p_2002928.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b66/montgomery-clift-30539_pansies_i-don-t-want-to-be-labeled-as-either-a-p_2002928.jpg) > “I don't want to be labeled as either a pansy or a heterosexual. Labeling is so self-limiting. We are what we do - not what we say we are.” [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He rejects limiting labels, emphasizing actions over self‑identification. **In simple terms:** Labels limit us; actions define us. Key Takeaway Act to define yourself, not labels. Themes identity self‑definition labels Mood defiant thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career choices - public statements - personal relationships Key Concepts personal agency social perception Questions to Reflect On - How do you demonstrate your identity through actions? - What labels have you rejected? A Different Perspective Labels can still influence perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heterosexual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heterosexual/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) ## Related quotes > [He was one of those guys that think they're being a pansy if they don't break around forty of your fingers when they shake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-was-one-of-those-guys-that-think-they-re-being-a-pansy-if-they-don/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“... and all we knew about her that we didn't know the night before was that she had eyes like pansies and skin like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-millard/and-all-we-knew-about-her-that-we-didn-t-know-the-night-before-was/) [Glenda Millard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-millard/) > [With cowslips wan that hang the pensive head, And every flower that sad embroidery wears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/with-cowslips-wan-that-hang-the-pensive-head-and-every-flower-that/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Pansy rolled over and went to sleep, but Petunia stayed awake long after Olga left, and long after Oliver crawled out from under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-day-george/pansy-rolled-over-and-went-to-sleep-but-petunia-stayed-awake-long/) [Jessica Day George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-day-george/) > [Well, I am a giant pansy and freak out if seaweed touches my leg in the ocean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paxton/well-i-am-a-giant-pansy-and-freak-out-if-seaweed-touches-my-leg-in/) [Sara Paxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paxton/) > [Fang let out a low whistle. "Anyone know that Amazons could ride a giant bird?" Ethon gave him a duh stare. "Those of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/fang-let-out-a-low-whistle-anyone-know-that-amazons-could-ride-a/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The delicate thought, that cannot find expression, For ruder speech too fair, That, like thy petals, trembles in possession, And scatters on the air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/the-delicate-thought-that-cannot-find-expression-for-ruder-speech-too/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [And then the rose-border. What intensity in those odorous buds of the Bon Silene, making the very spirit bound as though a message had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-smiley/and-then-the-rose-border-what-intensity-in-those-odorous-buds-of-the/) [Sarah Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-smiley/) > [As a result of 50 years of emancipation, feminine qualities were dying out or being transferred to the males. Pansies of both sexes were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/as-a-result-of-50-years-of-emancipation-feminine-qualities-were-dying/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [I was the Pink Pansy or whatever, wearing this crazy thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kel-mitchell/i-was-the-pink-pansy-or-whatever-wearing-this-crazy-thing/) [Kel Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kel-mitchell/) > [Heart's ease! one could look for half a day Upon this flower, and shape in fancy out Full twenty different tales of love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-howitt/heart-s-ease-one-could-look-for-half-a-day-upon-this-flower-and-shape/) [Mary Howitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-howitt/) > [Life is not orderly. No matter how we try to make life so, right in the middle of it we die, lose a leg,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/life-is-not-orderly-no-matter-how-we-try-to-make-life-so-right-in-the/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [Nobody can keep on being angry if she looks into the heart of a pansy for a little while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nobody-can-keep-on-being-angry-if-she-looks-into-the-heart-of-a-pansy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How does a pansy, for example, select the ingredients from soil to get the right colors for the flower? Now there's a great miracle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/how-does-a-pansy-for-example-select-the-ingredients-from-soil-to-get/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) > [Who are the violets now That strew the lap of the new-come spring?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/who-are-the-violets-now-that-strew-the-lap-of-the-new-come-spring/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Montgomery Clift > [The thing that bugs me is the average woman's complete ignorance of the functional purpose of cosmetics, which is to supplement, not conceal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/the-thing-that-bugs-me-is-the-average-woman-s-complete-ignorance-of/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [If a man don't go his own way, he is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/if-a-man-don-t-go-his-own-way-he-is-nothing/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [The only line that's wrong in Shakespeare is 'holding a mirror up to nature.' You hold a magnifying glass up to nature. As an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/the-only-line-that-s-wrong-in-shakespeare-is-holding-a-mirror-up-to/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [Look, I'm not odd. I'm just trying to be an actor; not a movie star, an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/look-i-m-not-odd-i-m-just-trying-to-be-an-actor-not-a-movie-star-an/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [Failure and its accompanying misery is for the artist his most vital source of creative energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/failure-and-its-accompanying-misery-is-for-the-artist-his-most-vital/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [Look! Look! If you look really hard at things you'll forget you're going to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/look-look-if-you-look-really-hard-at-things-you-ll-forget-you-re/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [The sadness of our existence should not leave us blunted, on the contrary--how to remain thin-skinned, vulnerable and stay alive?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/the-sadness-of-our-existence-should-not-leave-us-blunted-on-the/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [Look, if you're playing Romeo and your Juliet is a pig, you find something you can love about pigs!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/look-if-you-re-playing-romeo-and-your-juliet-is-a-pig-you-find/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [Nobody ever lies about being lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/nobody-ever-lies-about-being-lonely/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [The closer we come to the negative, to death, the more we blossom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/the-closer-we-come-to-the-negative-to-death-the-more-we-blossom/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [A man should be what he can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/a-man-should-be-what-he-can-do/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [I have the same problem as Marilyn. We attract people the way honey does bees, but they're generally the wrong kind of people. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/i-have-the-same-problem-as-marilyn-we-attract-people-the-way-honey/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [James Dean’s death had a profound effect on me. The instant I heard about it, I vomited. I don’t know why,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/james-dean-s-death-had-a-profound-effect-on-me-the-instant-i-heard/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [I have enough money to get by. I'm not independently wealthy, just independently lazy, I suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/i-have-enough-money-to-get-by-i-m-not-independently-wealthy-just/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) > [I keep my family out of my public life because it can be an awful nuisance to them. What's my mother going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/montgomery-clift/i-keep-my-family-out-of-my-public-life-because-it-can-be-an-awful/) [Montgomery Clift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) [Explore all 17 Montgomery Clift quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/montgomery-clift/) ## More Heterosexual quotes > [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/) > [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 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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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 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/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [The problem is that television executives have got it into their heads that if one presenter on a show is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed heterosexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-clarkson/the-problem-is-that-television-executives-have-got-it-into-their/) [Jeremy Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-clarkson/) [Browse all 176 Heterosexual quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heterosexual/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't want to be labeled as either a pansy or a heterosexual. 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