---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When women are pessimistic about their…"
description: "\"When women are pessimistic about their political strength and feel hopeless about changing the conditions of their lives, it is almost as if they do no..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eae/naomi-wolf-1344_believe_when-women-are-pessimistic-about-their-p_713389.png"
---

#  When women are pessimistic about their political strength…

![“When women are pessimistic about their political strength and feel hopeless about changing the conditions of their lives, it is almost as if they do not believe that democracy means the country belongs to them. But it's true.” quote by Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eae/naomi-wolf-1344_believe_when-women-are-pessimistic-about-their-p_713389.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eae/naomi-wolf-1344_believe_when-women-are-pessimistic-about-their-p_713389.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eae/naomi-wolf-1344_believe_when-women-are-pessimistic-about-their-p_713389.png)

> “When women are pessimistic about their political strength and feel hopeless about changing the conditions of their lives, it is almost as if they do not believe that democracy means the country belongs to them. But it's true.”

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Women doubting their political influence reflect a broader crisis of democratic inclusion, undermining belief that governance belongs to all.

**In simple terms:** Self‑doubt harms democratic participation.

Key Takeaway

Empower women to claim political agency.

Themes

gender equality politics democracy

Mood

urgent hopeful

Type

activist motivational

When to use this quote

- voting
- activism
- community organizing
- policy advocacy

Key Concepts

empowerment civic engagement social justice

Questions to Reflect On

- What steps can strengthen women's political voice?
- How can societies reinforce inclusive democracy?

A Different Perspective

Structural barriers can limit empowerment despite personal confidence.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Pessimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimistic/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/)

## Related quotes

> [I can remember watching MTV Cribs - these amazing houses - and looking around my house where there was no carpet on the floors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bugzy-malone/i-can-remember-watching-mtv-cribs-these-amazing-houses-and-looking/)

[Bugzy Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bugzy-malone/)

> [I feel so alone, I'm hopeless in life, I try to be happy but only find it with a knife, It slips through my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-feel-so-alone-i-m-hopeless-in-life-i-try-to-be-happy-but-only-find/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“And never underestimate the importance of even just a little bit of progress. One of the worst things, among an almost infinite number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hoffman/and-never-underestimate-the-importance-of-even-just-a-little-bit-of/)

[Rachel Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hoffman/)

> [It's like screaming, that no one can hear. you almost feel ashamed, that someone could be that important. And that without them, you feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-like-screaming-that-no-one-can-hear-you-almost-feel-ashamed-that/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Typically, when you have a depressed individual, they feel hopeless. They feel miserable. Their mind is racing, their heart is pounding. They feel anxious.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-archer/typically-when-you-have-a-depressed-individual-they-feel-hopeless/)

[Dale Archer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-archer/)

> [Some might tell you there's no hope in hand Just because they feel hopeless But you don't have to be a thing like that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-matthews/some-might-tell-you-there-s-no-hope-in-hand-just-because-they-feel/)

[Dave Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-matthews/)

> [It's like you're screaming, and no one can hear You almost feel ashamed That someone could be that important That without them, you feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rihanna/it-s-like-you-re-screaming-and-no-one-can-hear-you-almost-feel/)

[Rihanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rihanna/)

> [My assignment is to take my situation and to use it to help others who feel hopeless and/or helpless because of loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-sapp/my-assignment-is-to-take-my-situation-and-to-use-it-to-help-others/)

[Marvin Sapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-sapp/)

> [I dont wan't to feel bad because I am alone, I dont want to feel hopeless because It's always been me all my life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missyrie/i-dont-wan-t-to-feel-bad-because-i-am-alone-i-dont-want-to-feel/)

Missyrie

> [And sometimes it hits me out of nowhere. All of a sudden this overwhelming sadness rushes over me. And I get discouraged and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-sometimes-it-hits-me-out-of-nowhere-all-of-a-sudden-this/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Sometimes I actually hope that he did once feel empty and hopeless and helpless enough to slash his wrists to the bone, because if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/sometimes-i-actually-hope-that-he-did-once-feel-empty-and-hopeless/)

[Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/)

> [“Whenever you feel hopeless, all you need to do is go outside and realize that you have been molded into human form for some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brianna-wiest/whenever-you-feel-hopeless-all-you-need-to-do-is-go-outside-and/)

[Brianna Wiest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brianna-wiest/)

> [When you feel like you're isolated and you're on your own, you feel hopeless and who knows what those hopeless thoughts can turn into.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-allen/when-you-feel-like-you-re-isolated-and-you-re-on-your-own-you-feel/)

[Jimmie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-allen/)

> [Sometimes it's not the optimist you need, but another pessimist to walk beside you and know, absolutely know, that the sound in the dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/sometimes-it-s-not-the-optimist-you-need-but-another-pessimist-to/)

[Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/)

> [The people who are unprejudiced, but who ... feel it is so hopeless there is no use trying ... probably do just as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/the-people-who-are-unprejudiced-but-who-feel-it-is-so-hopeless-there/)

[Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/)

## More by Naomi Wolf

> [“You could see the signs of female aging as diseased, especially if you had a vested interest in making women too see them your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/you-could-see-the-signs-of-female-aging-as-diseased-especially-if-you/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [Demographically, I'm a hippie from San Francisco and I'm not culturally inclined to be sympathetic to states' rights. My cultural heritage is FDR and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/demographically-i-m-a-hippie-from-san-francisco-and-i-m-not/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [There's been a systematic propagandizing of American citizens for 30 years to make us forget what America is supposed to be and what our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/there-s-been-a-systematic-propagandizing-of-american-citizens-for-30/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [Maybe the less pain we inflict on our bodies, the more beautiful our bodies will look to us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/maybe-the-less-pain-we-inflict-on-our-bodies-the-more-beautiful-our/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [“The rise of the beauty myth was just one of several emerging social fictions that masqueraded as natural components of the feminine sphere, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/the-rise-of-the-beauty-myth-was-just-one-of-several-emerging-social/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [The Victorian woman became her ovaries, as today's woman has become her "beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/the-victorian-woman-became-her-ovaries-as-today-s-woman-has-become/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [“The anthropologist Margaret Mead concluded in 1948, after observing seven different ethnic groups in the Pacific Islands, that different cultures made different forms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/the-anthropologist-margaret-mead-concluded-in-1948-after-observing/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [What becomes of a man who acquires a beautiful woman, with her "beauty" his sole target? He sabotages himself. He has gained no friend,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/what-becomes-of-a-man-who-acquires-a-beautiful-woman-with-her-beauty/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [“Beauty” is a currency system like the gold standard. Like any economy, it is determined by politics, and in the modern age in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/beauty-is-a-currency-system-like-the-gold-standard-like-any-economy/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [“Rape and sexual assault ... should be understood not just as a form of forced sex, they should also be understood as as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/rape-and-sexual-assault-should-be-understood-not-just-as-a-form-of/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [“The qualities that a given period calls beautiful in women are merely symbols of the female behavior that that period considers desirable: The beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/the-qualities-that-a-given-period-calls-beautiful-in-women-are-merely/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [To live in a culture in which women are routinely naked where men aren't is to learn inequality in little ways all day long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/to-live-in-a-culture-in-which-women-are-routinely-naked-where-men/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [a white person who claims to have no impediment of vision in this country is not, I think, telling the whole truth. And when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/a-white-person-who-claims-to-have-no-impediment-of-vision-in-this/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [“The beauty myth sets it up this way: A high rating as an art object is the most valuable tribute a woman can exact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/the-beauty-myth-sets-it-up-this-way-a-high-rating-as-an-art-object-is/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

> [“Societies tell themselves necessary fictions in the same way that individuals and families do. Henrik Ibsen called them “vital lies,” and psychologist Daniel Goleman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/societies-tell-themselves-necessary-fictions-in-the-same-way-that/)

[Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

[Explore all 251 Naomi Wolf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/)

## More Believe quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/)

[Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When women are pessimistic about their political strength and feel hopeless about changing the conditions of their lives, it is almost as if they do not believe that democracy means the country belongs to them. But it's true.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Naomi Wolf"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/when-women-are-pessimistic-about-their-political-strength-and-feel/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/when-women-are-pessimistic-about-their-political-strength-and-feel/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eae/naomi-wolf-1344_believe_when-women-are-pessimistic-about-their-p_713389.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eae/naomi-wolf-1344_believe_when-women-are-pessimistic-about-their-p_713389.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eae/naomi-wolf-1344_believe_when-women-are-pessimistic-about-their-p_713389.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When women are pessimistic about their political strength and feel hopeless about changing the conditions of…” — Naomi Wolf",
                "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": "Naomi Wolf",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When women are pessimistic about their...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/when-women-are-pessimistic-about-their-political-strength-and-feel/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/when-women-are-pessimistic-about-their-political-strength-and-feel/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
