--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because they’re wrong. People who judge…" description: "\"“Because they’re wrong. People who judge me are wrong. There’s nothing wrong with me. There’s nothing wrong with being gay, or how I dress, or how I ch..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/nicola-haken-46454_gay-people_because-they-re-wrong-people-who-judge-m_680277.jpg" --- # Because they’re wrong. People who judge me are wrong… ![“Because they’re wrong. People who judge me are wrong. There’s nothing wrong with me. There’s nothing wrong with being gay, or how I dress, or how I choose to express myself. I’m not hurting anyone, but they’re hurting me. If I change to fit in with their misguided opinions then I’m just…” quote by Nicola Haken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/nicola-haken-46454_gay-people_because-they-re-wrong-people-who-judge-m_680277.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/nicola-haken-46454_gay-people_because-they-re-wrong-people-who-judge-m_680277.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4be/nicola-haken-46454_gay-people_because-they-re-wrong-people-who-judge-m_680277.jpg) > ““Because they’re wrong. People who judge me are wrong. There’s nothing wrong with me. There’s nothing wrong with being gay, or how I dress, or how I choose to express myself. I’m not hurting anyone, but they’re hurting me. If I change to fit in with their misguided opinions then I’m just reinforcing them. On top of that, their lives wouldn’t alter. They don’t know me. They have an issue with gay people in general, not me personally. So, if I changed who I was to fit in with what they deem an acceptable society, it wouldn’t affect them, but it would affect me. I’d be living a lie. I’d be miserable, and they wouldn’t even know about it. They’d find another gay person to disapprove of. So why do that? Why change for people who don’t even know who I am?” This”” [Nicola Haken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-haken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that conforming to others’ prejudices harms personal authenticity and well‑being, while those prejudices remain unchanged. **In simple terms:** Changing for others’ approval is self‑destructive. Key Takeaway Stay true to yourself. Themes identity authenticity social pressure LGBTQ+ rights Mood defiant hopeful Type personal activist When to use this quote - coming out - workplace - family gatherings - public speaking Key Concepts self‑acceptance social conformity psychological harm Questions to Reflect On - How does authenticity affect mental health? - What support helps resist societal pressure? A Different Perspective If safety is threatened, some may need to conceal identity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-people/) [Express Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/express-myself/) [Gay people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-people/) [Gay Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-person/) [Issue Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issue-gay-648608/) [Living a lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-a-lie/) [People Who Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-who-judge/) [Wrong Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-gay-1777286/) ## Related quotes > [“The only thing wrong with being gay is how some people treat you when they find out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-reardon/the-only-thing-wrong-with-being-gay-is-how-some-people-treat-you-when/) [Robin Reardon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-reardon/) > [There are a lot of gay people in fashion, but it's not as if every gay person is a great creator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-klein/there-are-a-lot-of-gay-people-in-fashion-but-it-s-not-as-if-every-gay/) [Calvin Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-klein/) > [I'm certainly not going to tell other people what they should do with their own personal lives. I think it's certainly easier for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-m-certainly-not-going-to-tell-other-people-what-they-should-do-with/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I would like to tell stories through the lens of the gay person, but not just for gay people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-rannells/i-would-like-to-tell-stories-through-the-lens-of-the-gay-person-but/) [Andrew Rannells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-rannells/) > [My own feeling about JJ, without knowing anything about him, was that he might have been a gay person, because he had long hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/my-own-feeling-about-jj-without-knowing-anything-about-him-was-that/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [It’s so wonderful being a gay person. I said that before. I’m going to say it again. I love being gay. And I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/it-s-so-wonderful-being-a-gay-person-i-said-that-before-i-m-going-to/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [ I think that the media is as divided on this issue \[of gay marriage\] as the Obama family — which is to say not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-halperin/i-think-that-the-media-is-as-divided-on-this-issue-of-gay-marriage-as/) [Mark Halperin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-halperin/) > [“Two years had passed, and still I had not told the boys anything. I had not told them that their grandfather was gay. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-martin/two-years-had-passed-and-still-i-had-not-told-the-boys-anything-i-had/) [Gregory Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-martin/) > [I think I have a very good reputation amongst the gay population and among the whole country because I stood up on the issue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/i-think-i-have-a-very-good-reputation-amongst-the-gay-population-and/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [It’s very dear to me, the issue of gay marriage. Or as I like to call it: ‘marriage.’ You know, because I had lunch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-feldman/it-s-very-dear-to-me-the-issue-of-gay-marriage-or-as-i-like-to-call/) [Liz Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-feldman/) > [Equal rights should not be a partisan political issue - so why are all gay leaders in one political party?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grenell/equal-rights-should-not-be-a-partisan-political-issue-so-why-are-all/) [Richard Grenell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grenell/) > [The world has changed from when I was a young teen feeling ashamed for being gay. The issue of gay marriage is now a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-takei/the-world-has-changed-from-when-i-was-a-young-teen-feeling-ashamed/) [George Takei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-takei/) > [By in large in this country the issue of gay rights and equality should be past the point of debate. Really, there should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-fujita/by-in-large-in-this-country-the-issue-of-gay-rights-and-equality/) [Scott Fujita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-fujita/) > [It's kind of a shame that it's even an issue. Not being gay, I can't fully appreciate how complicated that is. In the article,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-wolf/it-s-kind-of-a-shame-that-it-s-even-an-issue-not-being-gay-i-can-t/) [Scott Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-wolf/) > [There's nothing wrong with being gay. I have plenty of friends who are going to hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-being-gay-i-have-plenty-of-friends-who-are/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) ## More by Nicola Haken > [“I have this thing about books – a disease almost – that won’t let me give up until I’ve read to the end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-haken/i-have-this-thing-about-books-a-disease-almost-that-won-t-let-me-give/) [Nicola Haken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-haken/) > [“You need to stop this, Jake. It's not going to happen. I'm not... like you. I'm straight." "So is spaghetti until it gets hot,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-haken/you-need-to-stop-this-jake-it-s-not-going-to-happen-i-m-not-like-you/) [Nicola Haken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-haken/) > [“If she’s watching, I would like to say…” I turned to the camera facing me, talking directly to her. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-haken/if-she-s-watching-i-would-like-to-say-i-turned-to-the-camera-facing/) [Nicola Haken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-haken/) > [“Each and every one of these should be a reminder of how strong you are. You should look at them and remember what you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-haken/each-and-every-one-of-these-should-be-a-reminder-of-how-strong-you/) [Nicola Haken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-haken/) > [“I'm not just a reader or a writer; I inhale written words like they're my oxygen. It's not a hobby. It's a passion. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-haken/i-m-not-just-a-reader-or-a-writer-i-inhale-written-words-like-they-re/) [Nicola Haken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-haken/) > [“I didn’t like churches – I never had. They were creepy places. Eerie. I always felt like I was being watched by someone I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-haken/i-didn-t-like-churches-i-never-had-they-were-creepy-places-eerie-i/) [Nicola Haken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-haken/) > [“I fell in love with you at your worst. I've had some of the best times of my life with you at, as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-haken/i-fell-in-love-with-you-at-your-worst-i-ve-had-some-of-the-best-times/) [Nicola Haken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-haken/) [Explore all 8 Nicola Haken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-haken/) ## More Gay people quotes > [I'm not against gay people. I have a relative who is also gay. We can't help it if they were born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-m-not-against-gay-people-i-have-a-relative-who-is-also-gay-we-can-t/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things - he never said that gay people should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/jesus-never-said-a-word-about-homosexuality-in-all-of-his-teachings/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Any home where there is love constitutes a family and all families should have the same legal rights, including the right to marry and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/any-home-where-there-is-love-constitutes-a-family-and-all-families/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [“Now, in the old days, Indians used to be forgiving of any kind of eccentricity. In fact, weird people were often celebrated. Epileptics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/now-in-the-old-days-indians-used-to-be-forgiving-of-any-kind-of/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I didn't have any role models. I really thought I was doomed to this loveless, lonely life. I didn't know any gay people until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-batt/i-didn-t-have-any-role-models-i-really-thought-i-was-doomed-to-this/) [Bryan Batt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-batt/) > [The thing about gay people is that until we come out of the closet, we're always protecting other people: 'I can't do this, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-halford/the-thing-about-gay-people-is-that-until-we-come-out-of-the-closet-we/) [Rob Halford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-halford/) > [I want to do something that is not just a pastiche of drag that's come before but is really authentically me. I try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-velour/i-want-to-do-something-that-is-not-just-a-pastiche-of-drag-that-s/) [Sasha Velour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-velour/) > [Marriage is a civil right. If you don't want gay people to marry in your church, good for you. But you can't say they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bond/marriage-is-a-civil-right-if-you-don-t-want-gay-people-to-marry-in/) [Julian Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bond/) > [I think fundamentally, the real power behind the anti-choice movement in regard to abortion and the opposition to the rights of LGBT Americans is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-w-lynn/i-think-fundamentally-the-real-power-behind-the-anti-choice-movement/) [Barry W. Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-w-lynn/) > [“sometimes I think homosexuality is wasted on gay people”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-halerin/sometimes-i-think-homosexuality-is-wasted-on-gay-people/) [David Halerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-halerin/) > [I don't understand why gay people are so anxious to get married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-margolyes/i-don-t-understand-why-gay-people-are-so-anxious-to-get-married/) [Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/) > [When I was young, there were bars called the 'Hungry Hole,' and in those same neighbourhoods are now gay people pushing baby carriages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/when-i-was-young-there-were-bars-called-the-hungry-hole-and-in-those/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I don't discriminate against straight or gay people in casting; I'm open to good acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shores/i-don-t-discriminate-against-straight-or-gay-people-in-casting-i-m/) [Del Shores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shores/) > [Why shouldn't gay people be allowed to be able to marry? Those against gay marriages say marriage should only be between a man and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/why-shouldn-t-gay-people-be-allowed-to-be-able-to-marry-those-against/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [Gay People can’t do this. Women shouldn’t be able to that. But touch my semiautomatic rifle and you’re attacking my rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remi-kanazi/gay-people-can-t-do-this-women-shouldn-t-be-able-to-that-but-touch-my/) [Remi Kanazi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remi-kanazi/) [Browse all 482 Gay people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Because they’re wrong. People who judge me are wrong. There’s nothing wrong with me. There’s nothing wrong with being gay, or how I dress, or how I choose to express myself. I’m not hurting anyone, but they’re hurting me. If I change to fit in with their misguided opinions then I’m just reinforcing them. On top of that, their lives wouldn’t alter. They don’t know me. They have an issue with gay people in general, not me personally. So, if I changed who I was to fit in with what they deem an acceptable society, it wouldn’t affect them, but it would affect me. I’d be living a lie. I’d be miserable, and they wouldn’t even know about it. They’d find another gay person to disapprove of. So why do that? 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